Author's Note: It's getting close to Christmas…
Tainted Feathers
Chapter 8-Almost Normal
Kuja:
Today, I got to enjoy the comfort of a chair and not a bed. The nurses were kind enough to lift me up and deposit me here. To them, I seemed to be getting better bit-by-bit. Some of the nurses were kind enough to stay and talk with me while Zoë got some more tests done. So I was a father now. What would Zidane say? I chuckled and gripped the chair. Why was I thinking of that idiot? He probably didn't think I was dead, knowing him. Gaia probably took comfort in the fact that I was dead. Ha, if they saw me now.
"More soup, Mr. Kuja?"
I nodded and waved her off. They would drown me in soup until they were quite sure I could keep food down. Heh, if I were able to act more like myself, I would be ranting…a lot.
"Kuja…"
I glanced around me, noting that the nurse hadn't come back just yet. When I finally turned around, I caught sight of the Iifa.
"How did you get here?" I asked.
"Don't worry, I came the same way you did. The spirit is not confined. But that's not the point. The point is that you need to return to Gaia."
Return? What the hell for?
"Return to Gaia? What the nine hells for?" I snapped.
"You've already earned your second chance, Kuja. No need to stay here much longer."
Excuse…me?
"I can't leave Zoë here and with a child. I'm not about to forsake the one thing I do have. Forget it, I'm not going back."
"Have you noticed the red feathers in your hair? They are outnumbering the silver feathers. How long can you keep that a secret?"
"I have nothing to hide."
Iifa snorted.
"Like hell, you don't. What about your past, Kuja? When you trance, everyone is going to know including your love."
I snorted.
"I can handle it."
"You could lose her, Kuja. Don't wish that one thing away. Just come back to Gaia."
"Oh…I should come back to those who hate me with no question. I should come back to a life with no love in it with the hopes that I die soon, like I should have. Is that ok with you? Do you like that idea, spirit?"
I began to seethe inwardly as I said those words. Iifa sighed and shook her head.
"I can't bend your will, Kuja. But…watch your actions."
And with that, she was gone. A stab of pain shot through my right hand, making me notice that the IV had slowly worked itself a loose and jabbed itself through my palm. It was utterly painful…and yet, very satisfying. The door to my hospital room shot open and a nurse walked in with a bowl of hot, steaming soup. He caught sight of my bloody hand almost immediately and sat the soup on the bed.
"What have you done to yourself?"
"It was an accident," I said softly.
The nurse lifted my wounded hand and pulled the needle out gently. The pain almost sent me into a trance of pleasure. It was then that I knew something was wrong with me. The line between pleasure and pain was thinning. And that could only mean one thing: trance. Iifa was right. I was going to trance soon…but for what reason? There had to be some reason why this was happening. Too much pain could mean my downfall. The dream Zoë had, proved it. So…what were my options now?
"Are you ok, Mr. Kuja?"
I nodded dreamily and stared at my now bandaged right hand.
"What's going on?"
Huh? That was Zoë's voice. The nurse stepped aside to let Zoë and another person through. That person just happened to be Michael. I bit my lip to keep from snarling, but my facial expression told it all.
"I just had a little accident, that's all," I whispered.
Michael eyed me dangerously before sitting down. Zoë lifted my hand, almost sending me back into ecstasy dreamland.
"Maybe you should stay in for rest of the day," Michael commented.
I narrowed my eyes at him before speaking again.
"It's a minor wound, really. It doesn't hurt, seriously."
"Do you want me to stay here with you?" Zoë asked.
Well…I want to talk to her about this trance thing. I didn't want to lose her again to that idiot. I'd rather cast Ultima on the world before doing that. Michael cleared his throat and proceeded to pull Zoë out of the room.
Zoë:
I slapped Michael the moment the door to Kuja's room closed behind us. He was surprised at first, but that shock faded away easily.
"Why did you drag me out of here?" I asked.
"Why are you being so nice to that freak?"
I slapped him again, almost panting with anger.
"Kuja is just anyone else. Besides, he's sick," I snapped.
"He?" Michael asked, while rubbing his cheek.
"Yes, he."
"You like him, don't you? And what's this I hear about a baby?"
Hmm…so he had found out.
"It wasn't you that sired it," I said dryly.
Michael looked like he was about to explode.
"Don't be upset, Michael. It's a very fine child that I have."
That voice…Kuja! Sure enough, he was standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face.
"You whore," Michael spat.
"My, my, sticks and stones. Tell me, Michael, all you wanted of Zoë was her money. She was easy prey, wasn't she?"
I gasped and covered my mouth. Kuja ignored my reaction and continued.
"She wanted love and you so called gave it to her while worming your way through the family. You are like poison, seeping in and corrupting all that you touch. So essentially, you are the whore, the parasite, the corruption that feeds off of her."
Why was I crying? I couldn't believe what I had heard.
"Do you deny it?" Kuja asked softly.
I looked at Michael, wanting for the answer. Subconsciously, I slipped the ring he bought me off of my finger. Kuja saw the ring, but wisely remained silent.
"No, I don't deny it," Michael said softly.
I threw the ring at his chest and stormed off.
Kuja:
I smirked at Michael's reaction as the ring clattered onto the floor. Michael pointed at me with a pained expression on his face.
"You caused this," He whispered.
"I caused this? You pathetic mortal. Look into your own diseased heart," I snapped as I went back inside and closed the door.
I didn't expect Zoë to have a ring. In fact, I never saw it before. I had to wonder what kind of hell happened while I was trapped in this room. I settled back into my bed, feeling strangely drained from the entire experience. My eyes drifted shut as my body completely relaxed.
"Pain and pleasure intermingle making the ultimate trance…"
Hour Later
Zoë:
I found myself walking down the same hallway to get back to Kuja's room again. I was surprised when there was no sign of the ring on the floor. So the cheat took his pathetic ring back with him. I snorted inwardly. Let him go, I didn't need him anyway. I opened Kuja's door slowly, noting how dim and quiet it was. I stepped inside softly and closed the door behind me. There he was, laying on his back, deep in sleep. It was then that I made the decision that I would find out what Kuja was hiding behind that wall of gentleness.
I would discover the real Kuja Tribal.