Author's Note: My fanfic's getting lonely...oh and I've just been writing chapters non stop since the beginning of school. So I dunno..if you want to do a chapter, LeFox.

Tainted Hearts

Chapter 3-Split Personality

Treno

Zoe:

I was surprised to find Kajin in the square surrounded by bodies. I bit my lip to keep from gagging at the sight of them. And it seemed like she wasn't finished for she had a purple-haired girl in a choking grasp.

"What are you doing?" I asked timidly.

It was oblivious what she was doing, but that was my way of staying in focus. If Kajin heard me, she didn't acknowledge it.

"Eiko, I think your blood would look excellent on the pavement, along with your friends," She purred.

I watched in terror as she tightened her grip on Eiko's throat. What could I do to stop this? I could try to stop her, but what if I got hurt? Eiko let out a sickening gasp and tried to squirm out of her grasp. I ran towards Kajin and pulled at her arm roughly. Kajin snarled and pushed me off of her, dropping Eiko. All of a sudden, some unknown force shoved me back onto the pavement. I landed on my back roughly and lay still for a bit. For a while, I saw Kajin's hard, cruel expression peering at me. And then, it softened into a teary, sorrowful, somber one.

"Zoe! I'm so sorry...please forgive me," She whispered.

It was then that I caught the cheery sight of Kuja's silver feathers and bit my lip. If he saw me like this, then the situation would spiral out of control. Somehow I knew Kajin didn't mean to hurt me.

"Kajin, what have you done?"

Oi...this is where it starts. Kajin looked away, covering her mouth with her slender fingers. Kuja walked past my form and stopped directly in her face. I started to protest, but that was stopped when I was hoisted up onto my feet.

"Answer me, Kajin!" Kuja shouted.

I shook my head and started to pull Kuja away. Before I could do so, he slapped Kajin hard enough to knock her on the pavement. I grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, ire rising in my voice.

"She hurt you and endangered our child."

"That doesn't mean you should hurt her! Let me show you how it feels!"

And with that, I let his jaw eat my fist and walked away.

Neo Alexandria

1:33 A.M.

Kajin:

I rubbed my swollen cheek gingerly and sighed. The situation earlier had made Kuja bitter. And he took it out on me. I covered my head with a blanket and lay down on my bed. My room was in the upper quadant of Alexandria Castle, well away from the noise of the actual castle. Plus, it was well hidden so Kuja couldn't find me. I guess this old castle has it's perks after all. Still, the location of my room could not bring me solace from my grief. I attacked Zoe for no reason...I just couldn't control it. I still don't know why I attacked Eiko's henchmen so violently. Something just came over me...

"I wish it was all a bad dream and then, when I wake up, I'll see my Mommy again--"

"And cry and cry. But you know as well as I do that will never happen. Your Mother is long gone...and last in the collection of souls that reside in the Iifa."

I knew that voice. I pulled the covers off of my head and snarled.

"Go away, Kaijin. You made things worse for me," I snapped.

Kaijin was the darker side of my personality as Doctor Tot put it. He said that I wasn't crazy and that Kaijin originated from the death of my mother. He said she was like...imprisoned within my mind due to my excellent mental resistance. But there were times when she broke through. Like now. Kaijin smirked from her position on my window.

"You deserved it, you wicked little girl. You gave me no control earlier so I took it."

I covered my face to hide my tears.

"You are so horrible, Kaijin. Sometimes I wish..." I trailed off.

Kaijin got up from the window and grabbed my hair.

"You wish what now?"

I knew what would come next if I did or didn't answer.

"Sometimes..."

Kaijin yerked my head up and slapped me dead across the face.

"Stop it!" I whined.

She slapped me across the face again.

"Tell me!"

"S-Sometimes I wish you were gone!"

Wrong answer. Kaijin threw me out of the bed and kicked me in the stomach violently.

"Your Mother wouldn't like to hear that. You need me, Kajin. You need me."

I curled up into a ball and trembled in fear. Someday soon...you will need me, Kaijin. And then, I won't be so weak.

Zoe:

My back hurt, but my heart hurt more. I had just hit my husband and I let him hit his own granddaughter in return. Kuja would suck his wounds up...but I wasn't so sure about Kajin. I didn't know where she was in the castle, since she ran up the stairs somehow mighty quick. Whenever she was, she was hidden well away from Kuja. I was pretty sure Zidane knew where she was. So when he came to check up on me, I decided to ask him about it.

"Zidane, does Kajin live here?"

"Her room is at the top of Alexandria Castle. Just follow the spiralling stairs. And...go alone."

15 Minutes Later

Kajin:

I hadn't been asleep long before I was disturbed by a knock on my small wooden door.

"Kajin?"

At first, I thought it was Kaijin, but I could tell by the heaviness of my thoughts that she was asleep.

"C-Come in," I said weakly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door open letting a very worried Zoe in.

"Why are you on the floor? Are you alright? How did you get those bruises?"

So many questions...it was hard to focus. She lifted me off of the floor and set me on the bed as best as she could before inspecting my face. I knew by the way it stung that I had open sores on the side of my face.

"What happened to you?" Zoe said softly.

"I had an accident, that's all. Don't worry about me. I will heal."

"No...no! You could catch infection this way."

I pushed her away softly and shook my head.

"I don't need your help."

Zoe sighed and touched my hand.

"I know it's hard being without your mother. And I know no one but Zidane and Garnet has been there for you."

"It's not the same," I whispered.

Zoe pulled out a soft cloth and wiped the blood that hadn't caked on my face off.

"I am a very capable mother if you ever need one, Kajin. Let's go clean you up."

3:34 A.M.

Zoe:

I watched Kajin collapse into restful slumber with a smile. The kid cleaned up pretty well. With the exception of a few bandages, Kajin's face was clean and shiny. That was the kind of beauty only my child would possess. In a way, she was my child. I wondered how her mother behaved and took care of her children. I bet she was kind and sweet. I caught sight of a small frame stuck in the drawer of her bedside table and pulled it out. It was a picture of Kajin and her mother. They looked just like each other. It was then that I noticed the notebooks. I gingerly scooped one out of there and opened it. What I saw next was drawings...pretty drawings. I had no idea Kajin was an artist. Did she think of it as a outlet? I should show Kuja this. He'll be interested.

Kuja:

The castle felt wrong again. I wasn't sure why though. I should have been asleep with my wife, but there was one thing wrong: she wasn't there. I had a feeling Zoe was up somewhere with Kajin. I still couldn't believe she trusted that child after she injured her like that. Zoe said she didn't mean it, but I knew that was a lie. So when she walked inside the main foyer, I couldn't contain the annoyance I felt.

"Kuja...I want you to see this," Zoe said as she shoved a notebook into my hands.

On the paper was a beautiful drawing of Alexandria's waterfront section.

"Who...drew this?" I asked.

"Kajin. But I want you to see this page."

Zoe flipped through the notebook to the very last page. It was a drawing of two girls that looked much like Kajin...only she had red eyes and shadows about them and the other was well normal. It was in full color...which surprised me. Not only that, but there was an inscription on the side of it.

"'Balance is so very important in life. With perfect balance comes the balance of light and dark. Without darkness, the light will suffer. Without light, the dark shall be empty and hollow.' Hmm..."

Zoe took the notebook from me and sighed.

"This child needs help. You of all people should know that," She commented.

For that kind of mental illnesss, help wouldn't do so good. Kajin could recover by herself if needed. All it took was precious, precious time. Time that she may not have. Two dragon calls sounded from outside, shattering the peace of the castle. Zoe looked at me worriedly and sighed.

"Should we be worried?"

I wasn't sure what the dragon calls meant. It had been years since I had been around Silver.

"I think so."

Kajin:

I was already awake by the time I heard the dragon calls. I spent most of my childhood near Amaranthine, so I knew advanced dragon calls. And it was a good thing too, for they were sending distress calls. I was wise not to let Kaijin onto what I was doing since she was just barely awake. I opened my window and stuck my head out. It was lightly raining outside. I took full note of this and climbed out onto the roof. I caught sight of the dragon compound below and noticed a black figure pacing beside it. It seemed like the dragons were quieting down somewhat. Something didn't seem right. A flash of lightning stuck in the distance, making me cringe. But it also revealed a woman on the rooftop across from me. She turned to face me and smiled.

"Are things going well without your Mother?"

I snarled.

"Who are you? You have no right to mention anything about her," I snapped.

The woman smiled and jumped off of the roof. I watched her land perfectly with more than a little unease. She was taunting me...daring me to go further. It sounded like Kaijin's awful work.

"Nice try," I whispered, watching the figures fade away.



Soon, I will be stronger and you will see that the light can shine through the darkest night, Kaijin.