Tainted Hearts

Chapter 6-Pain

Treno-Morning (Almost)

Zoe:

I knew something was wrong the moment the sun rose. Call it a Mother's intuition, if you will. I got out of bed as quickly as I could and slipped my robe on.

"What's wrong?" Kuja asked sleepily.

I shrugged and slipped my flat shoes on.

"I'm just going out."

Kuja sat up fully and rubbed his eyes.

"Something's bothering you, now spit it out," He said softly.

I rubbed my belly and turned to face him.

"I'm worried about Kajin. She hasn't come back home yet."

"I'm pretty sure she's back in her room by now."

"Kuja, I was up pretty much all night. This is not like her, I'm sure."

"Yeah...that is right. Go get Zidane and Garnet."

I shook my head.

"No. I want to find her by myself."

Kuja narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"I'll go with you."

He got up and slipped a cloak and his boots on. I smiled, glad that he actually agreed with me and walked into the foyer. The door was open as it always was and a warm breeze wafted through the door. I was bothered by the door being open at first, but then I learned it was surrounded by a thin veil of magic. I walked through it and emerged out into the open night air.

"How are we going to find her out in the darkness?" I whispered.

"In Treno's slums. Let's check there."

Treno's Slums:

The slums were quiet this evening. I was told that the slums were never this quiet at night and if they were then someone had been injured or had died.

"Hello, Lady Zoe."

I blinked and turned in the direction of the voice. It was Wei.

"Why are you here?" I snapped.

She shrugged.

"Temper, temper. We wouldn't want to hurt that child, would you?"

Kuja smiled darkly.

"You wouldn't want to lose your head, would you?" He asked ruefully.

Things were about to get ugly.

"Is that a challenge?"

I walked away calmly before the arguing began. I had turned down a small ally in the process. It was then that I saw a body lying in the middle of the street. It was a girl about Kajin's size...with red hair. Surprisingly enough, her face was turned in my direction. There was dried blood all over her neck and face. In one heartbreaking moment, I realized that this grl was Kajin.

"Kajin, oh my god," I whispered as I touched her face.

Her eyes shot open and a shuddered gasp escaped from her throat. Her eyes narrowed and softened in recognition.

"Zoe...?" She asked.

"What happened to you?"

Kajin winced and closed her eyes.

"I-I don't remember. But it hurts...really bad."

I took her head into my lap, trying to comfort her by stroking her dirty red hair. Kuja appeared in the ally moments later with anger still written all over his pale face. The moment his eyes saw Kajin in such a pitiful state, he froze.

"We've got to get her back."

Totetsumonari Kyuuden

Kajin:

I didn't want to be touched. I didn't want to be thought about. I barely wanted anyone near me. It was as if my world had been turned upside down and no one noticed. I was so confused and lonely. My spirit was gone. I cared not if I lived or not. After arriving at Kyuuden, Zidane volunteered to bandage my wounds up just in case I became violent. Right in the middle of bandaging my arm, I snapped and pulled away from him. In haste, Zidane grabbed me by the arm, wresting me back to his location. Bad more. I screamed and threw him forward, throwing all my weight into it. Zidane slammed into the wall roughly and groaned. My knees buckled and I fell to the ground. I just threw Zidane into the wall for wrapping my arms up. I was going crazy. Truly crazy.

"I'm s-so s-sorry, Zidane," I whispered.

Zidane sat up carefully and shrugged.

"Don't worry about it, kid. I'll let you calm down first."

I curled up into a ball on the floor, shivering slightly. I was alone...so alone.

"Zidane, what's going on? Are you ok?"

Zoe? I didn't bother to turn over. Maybe I didn't want to.

"Yeah. Kajin just got a little hysterical and threw me against the wall."

There was a sigh.

"She's been tramatized. I wish I knew what happened to her."

"If she's going to act like that, then she won't tell you anytime soon. Besides, she might calm down if you stay here while I finish wrapping those bandages. She has to have that done before being bathed."

Two gentle hands sat me up with difficulty and turned my chin upward. I looked at Zoe sadly.

"Hey, are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm ok..."

She smiled and winked.

"Stand up and let Zidane finish with your bandages."

She was so kind to me. I wasn't even her child, but she was so nice. I stood up, noting the pain in the back of my legs. Zidane brought the bandages over and wrapped it around my arm. I trembled at his touch and began to inch away. Zoe held me in place with a concerned look. Images started to assult my vision....dark images. I held my head with my free hand and whined.

"Please...stop it," I whispered.

Sinister laughter greeted me and the images persisted. A tear rolled down my cheek and I started to shake.

"Please...Mommy, help me..."

All of a sudden, I felt a thud and everything returned to normal.

"Kajin, breathe deeply. It's ok...no one will hurt you."

I was in Zoe's arms, bleeding anew from my busted lip. Zidane touched my face carefully, making me flinch.

"I'm surprised she survived whatever happened to her. Have you talked to Kuja yet?" He commented.

"He seemed really upset about it, but he hasn't seen her behavior. I think she won't recover from this."

"Kajin won't, but her split personality, Kaijin, better known as Ryuujin, will. It'll take time." (A/N: From now on, Kajin's other personality will be referred to as Ryuujin until otherwise noted.)

Kajin wouldn't come out. She was happier with my sorrow.

"Kajin, can't you tell us?" Zoe asked plantatively.

"It hurts, Zoe. It hurts."

She hugged me close and kissed my forehead.

"I know."

Later On That Afternoon/Evening

Zoe:

I was feeling a little bit poorly after this 'morning's' events. That was to be expected, I suppose. I needed rest, but I couldn't let Kajin go unattended. She was so weak and frail, and yet, she was hostile and insane at the same. There was an inner war going on within her mind. Often times on Earth, rape victims behaved in such a way. The possibility of Kajin getting raped unnerved me. Kajin was a very responsible person...so it seemed unlikely. The presence of a split personality in Kajini did not surprise me. After all, Kirika had died during the time of her life where she could be affected. Then of course after watching Kajin for a while, I considered using my power. I decided to wait until her violent reactions to stimuli stopped. I was sitting in the front foyer when Garnet walked in soaking wet. I raised an eyebrow thinking that Kajin may have attacked Garnet.

"I'm fine, I just fell in the bathtub. Kajin didn't seem to react though. Did you ever figure out what was wrong with her?"

I shook my head.

"Did you see any bruises?"

"Around the neck and other places."

"And you've talked to Kuja?"

"I'm sorry to say, but Kuja is an idiot."

I shrugged. Yeah, Kuja was a bit clueless sometimes. But that's what made him a true male.

"Where is Kajin?"

"In her room. Zidane is keeping his distance, of course."

A stab of pain shot through my stomach, making me cry out. Garnet looked at me in concern.

"Is it time?"

"I think so."

Kajin:

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking at my pale hands. They were so pale and so pure. I was scared of them. They were purer than my entire body. I was jealous of that purity. Of all of my body, they stayed the same. I was ashamed of this shell I existed in. No one understood. No one had a light to shine my way. Not even Kajin. A scream echoed down the halls and for a moment, I trembled. The scream echoed in my head, playing tricks with it. I fell back on the bed and images of a man filtered into my vision. It was haunting me, taunting my rationality. And then, it left as quickly as it came. I wondered who was screaming. It was then that I remembered that Zoe was pregnant. I got up and walked down the hallway, hugging the folds of my evening gown close. I crossed into Zoe's room and saw her lying in a bed holding something wrapped in a blanket. No smile adorned her beautiful face. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked timidly.

"She's having trouble breathing," Garnet said softly.

I turned around, looking for Kuja. He wasn't present. Why wouldn't my father be here for his daughter's birth? Zoe let out a choked sob and covered her face with her left hand.

"She's not breathing," She whispered.

That wasn't fair. Young life shouldn't be stolen like that. I walked to the edge of the bed and picked it up. The last traces of life were still hovering around in it. I could harness that energy and use it to heal her. I closed my eyes and touched her forehead. Immediately, it began to cry loudly and thrash around. Garnet took the baby from me and allowed me to quickly exit.

Hour Later

Zoe:

I watched Kajin from my bedroom window. She was setting on the edge of the roof, long hair billowing out in the wind. Her eyes were closed, but tears leaked out from beneath her darked eyelids. Kajin was still hurting. I got up from the bed, even though Garnet strictly forbade me to, and walked to the window. I slid it open and sat in her seat.

"Kajin..." I called softly.

Kajin sat up and wiped her eyes.

"You should not be up."

I shrugged.

"I don't follow the rules."

"Heh."

"I owe you, Kajin. I'm in debt to you," I said carefully while watching her reaction.

Kajin flinched. A lot has happened to such a gentle creature. I prayed that she would heal soon.

"I swear, I will kill whoever did this to you. You will recover and be yourself. Even if it kills me.'

Kajin glanced up at the moon, tears rimming her beautiful eyes.

"Go to bed."