Author's Note: Poor Kirika.

Reincarnation

Chapter 3-Kirei, the female Angel of Death

Alexandria Castle

8:27 P.M. Gaian Standard

Kirika:

          The damage Kuja actually did was extensive. Queen Garnet said that he almost ripped my cheek out.

          "Zidane, we need to do something about your brother," She snapped.

          Zidane sighed.

          "I know."

          "He hit the child with his own hands. For all we know, he could have killed her!"

          I slumped down in the chair I was in slowly. I couldn't believe what Garnet was saying. Kuja would never hurt me that bad or would he? I wasn't quite sure anymore.

          "I know, Garnet," Zidane muttered.

          "He was standing away from her laughing with his face covered from view."

          "He's not crazy, Garnet. You have no idea what he's going through."

          "I guess I don't. Where is he now?"

          "In Treno. He said to send Kirika back once we are finished with her."

          Why did that statement make me sound like an object? I wasn't ready to go back to Kuja. Garnet snorted.

          "We are not sending Kirika back to that man."

          "I'm not either," Zidane whispered.

          "General Beatrix," Garnet called.

          A woman dressed in form-fitting brown armor with an eye patch over her left eye and with long medium sized curls in her long brown hair walked into the ground silently. She had a long scabbard on the right side of her body with a jeweled hilt sticking out of it.

          "You summoned me?" Garnet nodded.

          "Have a guard set up another bed in our room and set a night watch on the door."

          Zidane extended his hand and helped me back up onto my feet. Somehow, I doubted that Kuja would return tonight. After all, Garnet would probably murder him if she saw him again.

Kuja:

          My gaze fell on the circular 'pod' before me. A smirk played about my lips as I examined what was contained inside. Inside of the pod was a genome that looked exactly like me. And that's what I counted on. As insane as I was at the moment, I felt I needed another me and apparently Garland did also. But I had to wonder what exactly he was up to. It had been years since Garland's presence has been seen or felt. This discovery enlightened me. Especially since I found out just what kind of damage I dealt to Terra. I exited the room silently, heading up the stairs to the demolished first floor.

          Parts of Bran Bal (A/N: If I got the name wrong…I'm sorry) were completely gone, vaporized in the heat of my rage. I did not grieve for anything still trapped here. I couldn't. I refused to remember that right now. I still had Kirika to worry about and no doubt Zidane and Garnet were less than happy with me. I strode across a narrow strip of land into the side entrance of the Invincible. The moment I stepped inside, it lifted off of the ground and proceeded out of Terra.

          I watched the blue landscape face away into sea and sighed. I still haven't found out who that woman was. I could ask Mikoto, but I doubted that I wanted to talk to her. My sister had been quiet for too long. Perhaps it was time to pay a visit. I stepped inside the bridge area and entered some coordinates on the panel in front of me.

          "Please state your location."

          "Black Mage Village."

          "Thank you."

          I smirked lightly. I loved this ship; it really had its uses.

Black Mage Village:

          Several pairs of dull yellow (gold) eyes stared at me as I crossed into the center of the village. I could feel the hatred and power behind those gates. I loved the feel of it. I wasn't ashamed to say so either. I kept my smile to myself and continued on to the end of the village where the cemetery rested. Mikoto was staring forward, her blonde hair marring her pale face. I gazed around the area at the various objects that served as grave markers.

          "Mikoto," I whispered.

          "For once, I don't know why you're here. The mages despise you."

          So what if they did. I surely did not care.

          "There is another genome in Gaia, a female one."

          Mikoto turned her head in my direction.

          "That is just Kirei. She poses no threat to you, so don't worry about it."

          Don't worry about it? Mikoto could sound cruel when she wanted to, but this was a bit unexpected.

          "Excuse me, but I know you well enough to tell that you're hiding something," I snapped.

          Mikoto turned around fully, her lips twisted in a horrible frown.

          "Go away, Kuja. I'm in no mood to discuss this," She snarled.

          I started to retort and snarl, but I found I couldn't think of one. Plus I wasn't in the mood to argue with her. So I walked out of the village, head held high in pride. After all, I still had my dignity to protect. Once I entered the bridge, I entered the coordinates for Alexandria. It was time to fetch Kirika.

Mikoto:

          I watched in quiet satisfaction as my oldest brother left the village. I couldn't believe how simple he was…or was he? I had a faint feeling that Kuja knew something we didn't. And I didn't like that at all.

          "Is he finally gone?"

          I turned to face Kirei, the second female angel of death.

          "Yeah, but I think he needs to be properly taken care of."

          Sure Kuja was my brother, but if he interfered with my plans, he would have to be eliminated. The same would happen to Zidane if and when he interfered.

          "I'll take care of our dear eldest brother, Mikoto. That's no problem."

          I turned away from her and sighed.

          "He's headed for Alexandria. Make sure he doesn't get to Garnet with any information."

Kirika:

          I couldn't sleep no matter how I tried. Kuja was still on my mind more than ever. I didn't know what he was doing. I slipped out from under the sheets of my bed and headed to the door. I twisted the knob and opened it. General Beatrix was to the right of it, head bowed and eyes closed. I knew she wasn't asleep from the way she was standing. In any case, I wasn't about to bother her with my petty requests. I moved down the hall to the area above the kitchens. The gate was open halfway as if the royal family was expecting someone. Some one like Kuja. And that's when I saw him.

          He was walking along the edge of the compound, dearly engrossed in his thoughts. A dark feeling washed over my body, making me shiver. That was the same feeling I got when that woman attacked me. Could it mean…

          "Kuja!"

          I shrieked at the top of my lungs, hoping to alert him. But it was too late. The woman strode into view with a small smile on her face. Kuja stopped in his tracks, eyeing the woman dangerously. And then she struck without warning, unleashing some kind of power into the air. It circled up into the air and spiraled down upon him. There was a scream of pain and then nothing more.

          I scrambled to the end of the hallway towards the long staircase. There was another demonic roar and a tall, lean figure floated up from the ground. His body was covered in reddish clothing with small hints of fur around his chest. His two legs were covered in red fur, plus he was completely barefoot. A long tiger striped tail snaked out from his waist and waved lazily in the air. His skin was wonderfully pale and smooth, plus his long red hair was stuck to the sides of his face. The man smiled, revealing two sets of abnormally long teeth. Was that Kuja? The woman backed up quickly, expression filled with a mixture of emotions.

          "So you reveal your true power, Kuja. Good, you'll actually be a match for me."

          And with that, the woman floated upward and was immediately surrounded by a ring of blue light. A haunting laugh came from Kuja's partially opened mouth. The sky above turned red as he drew a small circle in the air with his finger. I blinked, not really knowing if this was a spell of some kind. Huge explosions of fire erupted around the woman lighting up the sky further and shielding her from view. There was a cry of agony for a minute or two and then…silence. When the spell actually faded away, the woman was right in front of Kuja. But something was wrong.

          I couldn't place a finger on it, but something was wrong with Kuja. He wasn't moving, and his wonderful tail had fallen limp. It was then that I noticed the hand sticking out of his chest. Horror filled my heart as the woman detached herself from what used to be my father and flew away. I ran out into the cool night air to his broken body, tears blurring my vision.

          "K-Kirika," He whispered painstakingly. I settled down by his side quickly, taking his head into my lap. Kuja coughed violently for a second or two, blinking frantically.

          "Hang on, Kuja. Just hang on," I whispered softly.

          A small smile played about on his lips. It reminded me of how he used to be when I was little, but now…it only brought sorrow.

          "I-I have done a lot in my lifetime, K-Kirika. Gaia will be fine without me…but I must…tell you something."

          I whipped the tears from my cheek with my hand and waited for him to continue. Kuja coughed again, wheezing loudly. He wasn't going to last any longer.

          "Clone…Terra…Invincible…"

          I shook him, trying to keep him awake so that he could finish, but he was gone. The light faded from his crimson eyes, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell. I hugged him close to my chest, rocking back and forth, sobbing loudly. My father was dead. Killed by the woman who had tried to take my life earlier.

          Revenge was in order.