Author's Note: For those who are wondering, I am not abandoning Sosei. It's just going to be a while before I update that again because I've kinda lost sight of the plot n everything.
Tainted Feathers
Chapter 1-A Look At Love
Kuja;
I caught the hint of sadness from Zoë earlier, but I couldn't do a thing about it. Comforting people wasn't my style and most people knew that. But Zoë didn't. I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit guilty. After my meal, Zoë took me back into her bedroom for clothing. I think she didn't mind me in her bathrobe, but I supposed I couldn't stay in it forever.
"I'm sorry I don't have any clothes for guys. This is my own house, you know," Zoë commented.
I smirked and waved her off.
"Just give me a pair of pants and a shirt. I'll be fine."
Zoë shrugged and handed me a pair of black pants and a shirt. I took it and sauntered back into the bathroom. The pants fit me extremely well and the shirt was a little big on me, but it'll do. I curled my long silver tail around my waist and ran my fingers through my long hair. I headed back to Zoë's bedroom and settled down on the edge of the bed.
"I didn't mean to offend you earlier, Zoë," I said softly.
"So…what's your home world like?"
I glanced at my feet and sighed.
"It's like this place…only there are more of my kind around. And there's airships and everything."
Zoë frowned.
"Airships? You mean…like cars only they can fly?"
I gave her a strange look.
"What are cars?"
"We rode home in one, silly."
Ah…so that was a car. Interesting…
"I want to see more of this…um…"
I hesitated.
"Earth?"
"Yes…earth."
Zoë grinned and touched my shoulder.
"Maybe tomorrow."
Oh…that sounded like a delay. Ah well, I wasn't in the mood to go out exploring anyway.
"Here. I'll show you how to work the TV."
"TV?" I asked.
Zoë picked up a small rectangular remote and pressed the red button at the top. An unbelievably loud voice emerged from the black box in the right corner of the room. On impulse, I started uttering the words to a Thundaga spell, but I quickly caught myself. Magic wouldn't exactly be wise to use here. I must have looked strange, because Zoë shook me violently. I covered my face with my hands and sighed.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
Sure, let's not worry about the strange man who probably convulsed in your chair when you turned on the TV. And why was he convulsing? What…casting magic? What's that? Zoë gave me a look that had suspicion written all over it.
"You don't believe me?" I asked.
"Normal people don't do that, Kuja."
I figured that much out. A small chine pierced the air in the hallway, interrupting our conversation. Zoë walked out of the room, muttering about the TV and me. I smirked and took the small remote control off of its perch on the bed. More alone time for me. It wasn't until I started changing the channels on the TV that I caught the hint of angry shouting outside the room. I got up from the edge of the bed and slowly walked to the door. The shouting actually grew louder for a moment or two and there was a loud slap and then silence.
I narrowed my eyes. Was that the sound of a real slap? All of a sudden, Zoë's door flew open and Zoë herself stormed in. I caught sight of a small bruise on her cheek as she went past. I started to comment, but she stopped me by pushing me out of her bedroom and into the hall.
"Zoë?"
The door slammed, leaving me alone in the hallway. I shrugged and started towards the kitchen.
"Who are you?"
I froze in mid-strike and shifted my attention to a man standing in the corner of the living room as I might call it. Hmm…I am growing old. I can't even sense people's presence anymore. Oh wait…that's the Life Crystal's evil doing. Heh, heh, evil doing. So how am I going to get out of this jam? Ah…the gender card always works.
"I'm Zoë's girlfriend, Kuja," I said, forcing the feminine undertone in my voice out further.
Tricks were good for tricksters. The trickster being me, of course. Michael, I presumed, gave me a strange look.
"Zoë didn't tell me about you."
I stopped myself from snorting loudly. I see why she won't tell you anything. At that moment, my ears picked up the soft sound of crying. I flicked my silver hair back softly, trying to pinpoint the sound. It came from inside Zoë's room…
"She's crying," I commented.
Michael flinched and tried to hide it with a smile. I wanted to laugh in his face; I really did.
"What did you do to her?" I asked, trying to make it quick.
"None of your business."
"The canary does not deserve your abuse," I snapped, letting my voice go back to normal.
"Canary? Zoë is a human being."
If I didn't know any better, I would have vaporized him by now for being unfeeling. But I was Kuja and that meant that I had to be calm and controlled.
"Apparently, you don't think that way by the way you treat her. I haven't been here long, but I learn of things pretty quickly. Zoë isn't happy and I don't you are doing your…job."
Michael was fuming, that much I could tell. But would he react violently or peacefully? The answer was: peacefully. In one fluid motion, he exited through the open door.
"How fare thee, Rose of May," I whispered as I closed the door behind him.
Why did I just defend this woman? What was so important about her that you had to humiliate this man? I laughed and shook my head. You're growing soft, Kuja, I thought as I went back to Zoë's bedroom. The sobbing had not subsided any since I first picked up. I opened the door softly and stepped in. Zoë was on the bed, buried in pillows and various other things.
"Strong people don't cry," I said softly.
"You love mocking people, don't you?" came the angry response from under those various pillows.
The true answer to that question was yes, but I was smart enough to keep that to myself.
"No. Besides, I think your boyfriend hates me," I commented.
Zoë sat up and rubbed her red, puffy eyes.
"What did you do? You couldn't have hit him…you don't have any muscles for that."
Actually, I did, but I fought using a defensive style. I usually didn't out right hit somebody. It wasn't my style.
"I fight with words and other things. Many people underestimate me."
Zoë rubbed her face and sighed.
"Why did you do that for me?"
I didn't tell people my motives, simply because it would unravel the mysteries around me. And I like to be mysterious. But Zoë was a different case. I was compelled to help her because she was just…like me: alone…scorned and hopeful. Michael did not deserve her love; someone else did. Just…not me.
"I…um…"
Zoë waved me off.
"That's ok, Kuja. I think I understand."
For sake of sanity, let us say you do not understand me. To understand me meant you were insane, pure and simple. But I nodded and went along with it. Why mislead her?
"Kuja, on your home world, is there such a thing as love?"
I gave Zoë a calm, detached look.
"I-I've never experienced love in its finest form, but my brother has. So, I guess you can take that as a yes."
"How can you not experience love?"
That question burned a hole in my heart. I flinched and began to shake uncontrollably. It was a bad reaction, I know, but it was one I couldn't control.
"Because I am a failure. I am evil; I cannot be loved. Not ever," I hissed.
For a moment or two, I laughed. Zoë got up from her bed and stood in front of me. Her expression was not one of fear, but of careful consideration.
"You're like a child. You act on the hopes that someone will notice you and praise you. But the years of not being noticed have corrupted you from the inside out. Am I right?"
It was hard to keep the shock off of my face. I couldn't believe a normal human read me like a book. Zoë's serious expression melted into that of a smile.
"I guess I'm correct. Sorry about that, it just comes and goes. My gift, I mean."
I gave her a nervous look. Your gift certainly frightens me enough. Zoë leaned in and kissed me on the cheek softly.
"Come on, I'll fix my specialty dinner for you." Specialty dinner? Ooh…sounds nice.