Author's Note: Woo..enjoy!
When you walk away,
You don't hear me say,
'Please, oh baby, don't go'
Simple and clean is the way your making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go.
~Utada Hikaru, 'Simple and Clean'
Reincarnation
Chapter 2-Explanation
Alexandria Castle (Throne Room)
1:24 A.M. Gaian Standard
Kuja:
To put it nicely, I felt like shit, simply because I had failed to protect Kirika. She nearly died at the hands of a woman who looked exactly like me. I had no idea if Garland had created more genomes before my rampage. And if he did, who was to say how much more he created. Kirika stared at me as I mused over this thought. Garnet and Zidane were sitting in their thrones, narrowing their eyes expectantly.
"We want an explanation Kuja," They said in unison.
I looked at them with a snarl on my lips.
"I can't explain what just happened, Zidane," I snapped.
"You should, for Kirika's sake," Garnet snapped back.
"Do not meddle in my affairs, Queen Garnet."
"I can put you right back into your grave, Kuja!"
"Stop it, please!"
A small sweet voice stopped me from taking my frustrations out on the young queen: Kirika's. I immediately calmed down and relaxed in my chair.
"Your majesties, I assure that Kuja did not do what you accused him of."
Later on:
"Kuja, there's something you aren't telling me and I want to know why."
I ran my hand over my soft, beautiful face, which was slightly damp with sweat. I didn't care whether Kirika actually wanted to find something out. She annoyed me right now and that wasn't good.
"Go away, Kirika," I muttered.
Kirika glared at me darkly, anger flashing in her purple eyes.
"Tell me, Kuja," She snarled.
I sighed.
"What do you want to know?"
She settled down into the nearest bed.
"What happened to my real parents?"
I froze, not knowing what to say in response to her question. I knew what happened to her parents. I saw them escape without trying to help their daughter. That truth would break her heart.
"They…um…made it to the other city not far from there. After seeing you it seems."
My voice was betraying me. I prayed that she wouldn't notice that I was lying. If she could tell it, she didn't give any hint of it. Instead, Kirika lay down on the bed, yawning lightly. Good, now I can put you to sleep my dear. I waved my hand around in the air, mustering up the energy for the 'sleep' spell. A small shower of green sparks rained down on her, generating a yawn.
"Goodnight, my dear."
The Next Morning (9:30)
Kirika:
I woke up with a light blanket draped over my body. Immediately, my thoughts drifted back to Kuja. I sat up quickly, glancing around for any signs of the mysterious man. He wasn't in here. Where could he have gone? And he didn't even answer my question fully. Well, since he wouldn't, I'll go find out some answers. I got up from the bed and smoothed my hair back.
I grumbled, annoyed that I had no other glamorous clothes to wear. After all, I never intended to stay overnight in Alexandria. I opened the door with a sigh, stepped out…and bumped into Kuja.
"Good morning, Kirika. I trust you've slept well?"
"Did you bring some clothes for me?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
Kuja frowned.
"Go on to the bath chamber. They will be there for you."
Good. I walked past him and down the hallway to the women's bath chamber. I wasn't in the mind to argue with Kuja. I had more questions for him and from last night, he was determined to keep the answers for himself. Never mind him for the moment, I thought as I opened and closed the door behind me into the bath chamber. The air inside the bath chamber was slightly humid, lined with perfumed scents. I breathed in the perfumed air and stripped down to nothing, then lowered myself in the warm bath water.
Twenty minutes later:
I stood on the circle that served as the steering controls for the Invincible and smiled inwardly. I had managed to cast and keep Kuja down with a sleep spell. I couldn't believe how easy it was to put Kuja asleep with his signature spell. I sighed as I approached the new Lindblum (nicknamed Neo-Lindblum). I touched one of the buttons on the transparent screen in front of me and blinked as Regent Cid's face popped up on the screen.
"Good morning, Regent Cid," I said carefully.
"Good morning, Lady Kirika."
I watched the small merchant ships go by with a sigh and leaned back to slow the Invincible down.
"I was just stopping by so I could have a peak at the library for something," I muttered.
"You've got permission to doc, Lady Kirika."
And with that, his face left the screen and was replaced with a guard. I leaned forward, slowly guiding into the clock tower that served as a massive ship-docking port.
"Invincible is now running through docking procedure," I announced as I tapped a few buttons on the transparent screen.
There was a dull whine as the rear engines shut down. I held my breath as we settled inside the dock and finally lay still.
"The Invincible is now fully docked. I will be ready to go in about 45 minutes or so."
The guard nodded and closed the video connection. I headed out the side entrance and locked it with a few simple buttons. The high-pitched whine of machinery hit my ears, making me wince. But I ignored it as I crossed the catwalk and boarded the elevator that would take me downstairs. The moment those elevator doors opened again, I found myself walking out into the center of a busy street. I had been here before, but the shock of how big this city had grown, awed me.
After about five minutes of standing there in everyone's way, I turned to the left and walked into the huge building at the end. The library was a huge four-story building; complete with elevators and with all of the technology you could ever want. I was searching for books on Kuja's past. I knew that Gaian history was on the second floor…but…where?
"May I help you?"
I turned around in the direction of the voice and blinked in surprise; it was Regent Cid.
"I was looking for something on a man called Kuja Tribal," I whispered.
The Regent blinked.
"Why would you want to know anything about that murderer?" He hissed.
Murderer? I had to cover my mouth in order to hide my look of shock. Kuja was a murderer…?
"Do you have any books on what he's done?"
"Let me show you."
The Regent sounded overly bitter as he led me upstairs to a secluded corner of the library. There was a lone bookshelf, filled with a small amount of books.
"These are the diaries of various people who walked along Kuja's side, including Princess Garnet's."
I scanned the bindings of the books carefully until I eyed Princess Garnet's. I took it into my arms and sighed.
"Don't worry about the books. You can borrow it for as long as you want."
Regent Cid's words were not comforting. Not at all. I had serious doubts about what he had said earlier. Kuja wasn't a murderer…or was he? If I wanted to know the answer to that question, I would have to search Kuja's personal library in Treno.
Kuja:
I had a feeling that Kirika was up to no good. It was a feeling of pure foreboding, like something bad was going to happen. And it had something to do with my past. It started with Kirika using a sleep spell against me. I actually needed the sleep, but that was not tolerated. She would hear from me as soon as I found her again. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," I snarled, knowing exactly who it was: Zidane.
Sure enough, he walked in with a small grin on his face.
"What is it, Zidane?" I asked tiredly.
"I bet you're wondering where Kirika is."
"Oh, and you know where she is now eh, Zidane?"
"She's in Lindblum on the Invincible."
"She's WHAT?"
Zidane's grin seemed to grow bigger at my reaction.
"Calm down, brother," He said calmly.
I blinked. Poor idiot. I knew that he obliviously gave her permission to go. Kirika was only fourteen and magicless. What if that woman from the other night decided to attack her?
"How could you let her go, Zidane?" I asked, a defeated tone in my voice.
"Take it easy brother. She's on her way back into the castle now."
Kirika:
As I walked in my room in Alexandria Castle, I could sense Kuja's anger. I knew he would come down here soon, demanding answers. I hid the books I bought back with me under the bed. I could almost hear the rhythmic clicking of Kuja's boots coming down the hall. I sighed, preparing myself for hell on Gaia and saw Zidane. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when I realized that I still had to deal with Kuja.
"You look kinda stressed. Is there something wrong?"
I sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Did you know that Kuja was a…murderer?"
Zidane sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"I knew."
I felt…betrayed. I couldn't believe that Kuja didn't tell me about this.
"Look Kirika, I know what my brother did was wrong, but he's making up for it now," Zidane whispered.
"But why didn't he tell me?" I asked, choking back a sob or two.
"I can't even tell you that, Kirika. All I know is that you'll find out soon whether you ask him or not."
Zidane touched my cheek and left quietly, closing the door behind him. I couldn't see how he dealt with the truth. I pulled the books from under my bed and blinked. One of the bindings read, 'The History of a Silver Genome'. I had to wonder…
I shoved the rest of the books under my pillows and inspected this particular book. I opened it to the first page and gazed at the long flowing script. It read: 'Dedicated to the memory of the Angel of Death, The Dark Messenger…etc.' I blinked and flipped to the middle of the book.
'I couldn't believe Garland. How could he possibly say that I wouldn't outlast Zidane? The same Zidane who got chills from looking up women's skirts. How dare he humiliate me like this! Just when I had gained the ultimate power of Trance. Ah…Trance, the power of many souls fused into mine at one point. I felt superior to everyone. No one would ever call me a failure ever again! Not even you, Garland!'
Who was Garland? Why was Kuja so mad at him? I turned another page and scanned over it.
'I was scared, I admit it. Scared of dying alone. I remember the very first night I returned to Treno after the Iifa Tree. I was confused and bleeding, my mind was on the near brink of insanity. I had failed my master and myself. I was no longer the Angel of Death. I was just…Kuja. I hated Zidane. Hated him for rescuing me from the Iifa Tree. I wanted to die.'
I was crying…
Yet another page…
'I killed them…I killed the people of Alexandria and their queen. And yet, I feel no remorse. I had thrown a spell down upon them and they died. Their screams echoed in my eardrums, the chorus of the most holy…and unholy at the same time. I just wanted to be known as the only Angel of Death. That was something Zidane couldn't understand. No that's something my brother wouldn't understand nor would he want to. I sat alone in my bedroom in Totetsumonari Kyuuden for days, trying to smooth out this haunting feeling. I had terrible nightmares about my past and future, each ending with Garland's terrible laughter. He's taunting me. He's waiting for me to crack…and I wasn't far from doing so.'
Poor Kuja. He was going through so much. With a sigh, I closed the book and hid it under my pillows. I had a fleeting urge to go outside and meet Kuja. I got up and walked through the half-open doorway. There was no one in the hallway but a lone soldier. The soldier nervously glanced my way for a second, then turned away. I smiled softly as I walked past him, letting the poor soldier know that I had saw him. When I arrived at the castle's entrance, I noticed at it was raining. So much for trying to wait for Kuja out in the open.
"What are you doing here, Kirika?"
I didn't have to turn around in order to tell that the voice belonged to Kuja.
"I was waiting here for you."
There was the slight rustling of fabric from behind me.
"Whatever for?"
"You murdered those people…"
A strong hand grabbed my arm and turned me around.
"Where did you find this out from?" Kuja hissed.
When I looked up into his eyes and saw that they were nearly black.
"I found this out by myself," I whispered.
His grip tightened on my arm, possibly bruising it in the process.
"Stop it, Kuja! You're hurting me!" I shouted.
"I think you've found out too much, Kirika. We are going back to Treno."
I pulled against him in outrage. What had gotten into him?
"I'm not going back home with a murderer!" I shouted.
WHAM! Something heavy hit my cheek, sending me flying across the room and into a wall. A small flash of red covered my vision for a second and disappeared as I cried out. Kuja was on the other side of the room, his face shielded from view. He was laughing softly and there was no indication that he noticed that he hurt me. This man was going insane, a small voice in the back of my mind said. Another part said, 'No, he's your father, do something!' I couldn't listen to either voice. The shock of Kuja actually getting angry and striking me was firmly implanted in my mind. I felt so helpless…
"Kirika."
I didn't look up. I didn't want to. A pair of strong arms lifted me off of the ground and back onto my feet. I looked into the deep green eyes of Zidane Tribal and burst out in bitter tears.
Author's Note: To be continued..muahaha.