Disclaimer - I don't own Final Fantasy 9 or any of the characters. All I
own is the idea for this story and any characters original to it.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, much appreciated. ^_^
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Helix - Kuja's Story
Chapter 5 - Laboratory Study
The next few days passed in a whirl of screams and pain. The scientist did not relent in his examinations of Kuja, remaining in the laboratory constantly, with only a few hours break in between. The other creatures seemed forgotten, the man seemed gripped by a fervour to discover all he could about his newest. "Specimen"
After that first night, lying in a pool of his own blood, the howls and cries of terror from the creatures filling his head, he had vowed to escape: but it was not to be. The next day saw the start of a series of humiliating and painful tests. They cut strips of his flesh, and cauterised the wounds with what felt like a brand. He was held down while needles and tubes were driven into his body, until he was tied to a dozen different machines. Several times that day he had began to speak, to scream words at his tormentor, but it always ended in him lying on the floor of his cube in agony, his burned and scarred flesh refusing to heal properly.
In the brief periods between tests, he had tried to study his surroundings. Very few people ever entered the lab except the scientist himself. His trained mind told him that all the people were human, at least in appearance; but there were several odd and worrying differences between these humans and the humans of Gaia. They were considerably taller than any of the people he had known, and were differently proportioned, their limbs longer and more graceful. Their golden skin ranged from dark, to sallow, to pale like his own.
There were a few other scientists who entered the lab, mostly to feed and monitor the other specimens. People came in to clean too, but Kuja noticed that their skin was much darker than that of the scientists. The other scientists and his Tormentor had pale skin, as if they had never lived outside. Their almost deathly pallor and willowy appearance reminded him o ghosts.
Unsurprisingly, he discovered that he could not use any magic whatsoever. His attempts to heal himself had left him worried, but not surprised. He had felt no magical energies in this world since he had arrived. It was as if magic had never existed at all, he was even forgetting what it was like, and how it worked. He had already instinctively stopped himself from speaking, or showing understanding when someone spoke. Now he was forgetting other things. It frightened him. Knowledge was the only thing he had now. He was too weak to stand, and the confines of his cage prevented him from even kneeling upright.
After several days, he had managed to avoid speaking long enough for his wounds to heal, at lest superficially. His Tormentor had spent most of the day looking at samples of his DNA and diagrams of his bone structure. It seemed that the height difference was puzzling the scientists as much as it puzzled Kuja. He was glad to be ignored, though. It gave him more opportunity to listen and learn and it also meant he was still useful. He had seen what had happened to things that weren't useful.
Three doors lead out of the room he was kept in. one he assumed led to the main part of the building, as that was where people left and returned. The second door led to a different laboratory, he thought. Creatures wanting to be studied by other scientists, or requiring other tests, had been removed by people through that door. As far as he could tell, they remained there. But the third door. that was where the things that were not useful were taken. His tormentor had got bored with several of his other specimens in the time Kuja was there, and had ordered them be "disposed of." The whirring high pitched whine that came from behind that door always made him shudder, and unconsciously cower in a corner of his cube until it was done.
When the tests on him were being carried out, many of the other scientists came to watch. None of them had been told that he could speak, and a look from his Tormentor told him of the result should they find out. He kept silent, while he was prodded and poked like a piece of meat. They seemed particularly interested in his tail, and the feathers in his hair. Those things, and also determining his age seemed to have been a problem. None spoke to him, most seemed to enjoy talking to themselves more than anything else, though his Tormentor coaxed and crooned to some of the shivering creatures in the cages, who shrank back or else tried to attack him.
His hatred for the Tormentor grew by day. He never discovered his name: all the other scientists referred to him as "Sir". Some appeared as equally afraid of him as Kuja was, though none dared voice it in the laboratory. Several seemed to even show pity for the caged creatures, including Kuja, but none spoke except to do their work. They fed him occasionally, a white substance that had no flavour and a horrible gritty texture. He ate only because there was nothing else to do, but they seemed pleased.
One day, it was morning, barely 4 hours after the Tormentor had left, when Kuja was woken from fitful sleep by the sound of angry voices entering the lab. His cube was opaque, to him at least: but he lay still and listened intently - none of the people had been angry before.
"How dare you! The specimen was to be mine to study! Mine alone!" His Tormentors voice. With a sinking feeling, Kuja knew the man was talking about him. There was only one "Specimen" the Tormentor cared about these days.
"This is one of the most important discoveries relating to Specimen 2Echo1 to date! Anyway you need the other, and I am in charge of that department! Either you hand the specimen over to me and my team, or I will personally see you removed."
A haughty woman's voice, one of the other leading scientists, he suspected. There was no doubt at all that she was talking about him, and even though it seemed that he would be free of the tormentor, he knew that this woman wasn't much better. Inwardly cringing, he listened harder, trying to get any idea of that they had in mind.
"I demand to be allowed to continue my studies! This is ridiculous! Why was I not informed of this discovery sooner!" The Tormentor again, now even more agitated.
"It was only apparent this morning." The woman said smoothly. "You may resume your studies when our investigation has been concluded, but for now I demand that you release Specimen 2Echo1 to my charge or I will report you to the governors."
Kuja heard a furious sigh, and the click-and-beep of one of the computer consoles next to his cube.
"Done." The voice was laced with anger. "And I will see you pay for this, Supervisor." The title was said with a sneer.
Then came the sound of running feet and one of the doors burst open. A male voice spoke
"What is going on? Supervisor - why? What is the meaning of this." The voice was strangely familiar, but Kuja had no time to try and put a face to it. The conversation was heating up again.
" Stop your babbling and leave! I ordered you not to come here! You have your instructions!" The woman was furious, her voice almost a screech.
"Who is it Supervisor?" The Tormentor asked, his voice curious. Apparently, the Supervisor had blocked the third person from entering the lab fully. Kuja could hear grunts as the person tried to force their way in.
The new voice protested "But I don't underst - "
"You are not needed to understand! You are needed to obey! Go at once!" The woman shouted. Kuja thought he heard the Tormentor's murmured confusion, before the footsteps left hurriedly and the door slammed once more.
"What was that, Supervisor?" The Tormentor's voice was painfully polite, as if he knew it was the only way he could hope for an answer.
"None of your concern!" She snapped. "Our investigation will proceed now. Transfer the specimen at once."
The floor under Kuja shifted, he quickly braced himself against the corner of his cell. All sound was cut off as if it had never been. There was a sensation of falling, and a rushing as of wind, and then: silence.
All was still again. The faint hum of machinery told him he was in another lab, probably very similar to the first one. There was the sound of hurried footsteps, and someone entered, approaching his cube.
"Transfer it" It was the Supervisor. "How can we study it in this tiny cage? Stupid fool."
Kuja hardly had time to blink before one of the claws plunged into his cube and seized him round the middle. Instinctively lashing out, he let out a wordless scream of terror. In the sudden glare, he made out the shape of a dim figure nearby, before he was thrown roughly into a different cell.
This one was much higher, but with a much smaller floor area. He could sit curled up or stand, nothing else.
"Leave it transparent. I want the Specimen to recognise me" The Supervisor sounded amused. Kuja took a good look at her.
She was tall and thin, as were all the people he had met so far. Her hair was the colour of straw, and tied tightly behind her head. Her skin was pale cream with a hint of sallowness that made her look decidedly ill, but her eyes shone with health and her muscles were anything but wasted. She regarded him with a cool, calculating gaze that made him shiver.
"Remarkable." She spoke almost admiringly, as if he had done something wonderful. "You will be an interesting study, I am sure."
She turned to face a monitor, and suddenly the walls of the cell were opaque again.
"Almost ready." With that the Supervisor's footsteps faded, and Kuja heard the door close softly behind her.
He took time to think about what he had seen. This lab was different from the others. He did not think there were any other specimens in here at all. Certainly, he couldn't hear them. They had discovered something, something important by the sounds of it. So he had been moved. But why? What was odd that they did not already know? What had they failed to notice before now? The thought of this worried him, and he became lost in thought.
He was brought out of his reverie, but the sound of quiet, sneaking footsteps approaching his cell. He had not heard the person enter.
"She turned it opaque, so I couldn't see." It was the male voice from the other lab: The one who had tried so hard to enter. Kuja realised that he must have something to do with why he had been moved. He dared not speak, but waited.
"What is she trying to hide? What is in here?" It was then that Kuja realised that this person couldn't see him. For some reason, the Supervisor had darkened the outside of the cell. No one had ever done that before, everyone wanted to see the specimens.
"No matter, I will change the code" The voice sounded nervous though, and Kuja heard a few frantic beeps as they worked the computer.
"It is done. Now, to see what all of this means. Transparent."
The cell brightened, and the room swam into view. The computer's acknowledgement of the command was lost in a startled gasp, and a stifled scream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you liked it! Reviews, suggestions and constructive criticism always welcomed and encouraged!
Sorry about the little cliffhanger. ^_^
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, much appreciated. ^_^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helix - Kuja's Story
Chapter 5 - Laboratory Study
The next few days passed in a whirl of screams and pain. The scientist did not relent in his examinations of Kuja, remaining in the laboratory constantly, with only a few hours break in between. The other creatures seemed forgotten, the man seemed gripped by a fervour to discover all he could about his newest. "Specimen"
After that first night, lying in a pool of his own blood, the howls and cries of terror from the creatures filling his head, he had vowed to escape: but it was not to be. The next day saw the start of a series of humiliating and painful tests. They cut strips of his flesh, and cauterised the wounds with what felt like a brand. He was held down while needles and tubes were driven into his body, until he was tied to a dozen different machines. Several times that day he had began to speak, to scream words at his tormentor, but it always ended in him lying on the floor of his cube in agony, his burned and scarred flesh refusing to heal properly.
In the brief periods between tests, he had tried to study his surroundings. Very few people ever entered the lab except the scientist himself. His trained mind told him that all the people were human, at least in appearance; but there were several odd and worrying differences between these humans and the humans of Gaia. They were considerably taller than any of the people he had known, and were differently proportioned, their limbs longer and more graceful. Their golden skin ranged from dark, to sallow, to pale like his own.
There were a few other scientists who entered the lab, mostly to feed and monitor the other specimens. People came in to clean too, but Kuja noticed that their skin was much darker than that of the scientists. The other scientists and his Tormentor had pale skin, as if they had never lived outside. Their almost deathly pallor and willowy appearance reminded him o ghosts.
Unsurprisingly, he discovered that he could not use any magic whatsoever. His attempts to heal himself had left him worried, but not surprised. He had felt no magical energies in this world since he had arrived. It was as if magic had never existed at all, he was even forgetting what it was like, and how it worked. He had already instinctively stopped himself from speaking, or showing understanding when someone spoke. Now he was forgetting other things. It frightened him. Knowledge was the only thing he had now. He was too weak to stand, and the confines of his cage prevented him from even kneeling upright.
After several days, he had managed to avoid speaking long enough for his wounds to heal, at lest superficially. His Tormentor had spent most of the day looking at samples of his DNA and diagrams of his bone structure. It seemed that the height difference was puzzling the scientists as much as it puzzled Kuja. He was glad to be ignored, though. It gave him more opportunity to listen and learn and it also meant he was still useful. He had seen what had happened to things that weren't useful.
Three doors lead out of the room he was kept in. one he assumed led to the main part of the building, as that was where people left and returned. The second door led to a different laboratory, he thought. Creatures wanting to be studied by other scientists, or requiring other tests, had been removed by people through that door. As far as he could tell, they remained there. But the third door. that was where the things that were not useful were taken. His tormentor had got bored with several of his other specimens in the time Kuja was there, and had ordered them be "disposed of." The whirring high pitched whine that came from behind that door always made him shudder, and unconsciously cower in a corner of his cube until it was done.
When the tests on him were being carried out, many of the other scientists came to watch. None of them had been told that he could speak, and a look from his Tormentor told him of the result should they find out. He kept silent, while he was prodded and poked like a piece of meat. They seemed particularly interested in his tail, and the feathers in his hair. Those things, and also determining his age seemed to have been a problem. None spoke to him, most seemed to enjoy talking to themselves more than anything else, though his Tormentor coaxed and crooned to some of the shivering creatures in the cages, who shrank back or else tried to attack him.
His hatred for the Tormentor grew by day. He never discovered his name: all the other scientists referred to him as "Sir". Some appeared as equally afraid of him as Kuja was, though none dared voice it in the laboratory. Several seemed to even show pity for the caged creatures, including Kuja, but none spoke except to do their work. They fed him occasionally, a white substance that had no flavour and a horrible gritty texture. He ate only because there was nothing else to do, but they seemed pleased.
One day, it was morning, barely 4 hours after the Tormentor had left, when Kuja was woken from fitful sleep by the sound of angry voices entering the lab. His cube was opaque, to him at least: but he lay still and listened intently - none of the people had been angry before.
"How dare you! The specimen was to be mine to study! Mine alone!" His Tormentors voice. With a sinking feeling, Kuja knew the man was talking about him. There was only one "Specimen" the Tormentor cared about these days.
"This is one of the most important discoveries relating to Specimen 2Echo1 to date! Anyway you need the other, and I am in charge of that department! Either you hand the specimen over to me and my team, or I will personally see you removed."
A haughty woman's voice, one of the other leading scientists, he suspected. There was no doubt at all that she was talking about him, and even though it seemed that he would be free of the tormentor, he knew that this woman wasn't much better. Inwardly cringing, he listened harder, trying to get any idea of that they had in mind.
"I demand to be allowed to continue my studies! This is ridiculous! Why was I not informed of this discovery sooner!" The Tormentor again, now even more agitated.
"It was only apparent this morning." The woman said smoothly. "You may resume your studies when our investigation has been concluded, but for now I demand that you release Specimen 2Echo1 to my charge or I will report you to the governors."
Kuja heard a furious sigh, and the click-and-beep of one of the computer consoles next to his cube.
"Done." The voice was laced with anger. "And I will see you pay for this, Supervisor." The title was said with a sneer.
Then came the sound of running feet and one of the doors burst open. A male voice spoke
"What is going on? Supervisor - why? What is the meaning of this." The voice was strangely familiar, but Kuja had no time to try and put a face to it. The conversation was heating up again.
" Stop your babbling and leave! I ordered you not to come here! You have your instructions!" The woman was furious, her voice almost a screech.
"Who is it Supervisor?" The Tormentor asked, his voice curious. Apparently, the Supervisor had blocked the third person from entering the lab fully. Kuja could hear grunts as the person tried to force their way in.
The new voice protested "But I don't underst - "
"You are not needed to understand! You are needed to obey! Go at once!" The woman shouted. Kuja thought he heard the Tormentor's murmured confusion, before the footsteps left hurriedly and the door slammed once more.
"What was that, Supervisor?" The Tormentor's voice was painfully polite, as if he knew it was the only way he could hope for an answer.
"None of your concern!" She snapped. "Our investigation will proceed now. Transfer the specimen at once."
The floor under Kuja shifted, he quickly braced himself against the corner of his cell. All sound was cut off as if it had never been. There was a sensation of falling, and a rushing as of wind, and then: silence.
All was still again. The faint hum of machinery told him he was in another lab, probably very similar to the first one. There was the sound of hurried footsteps, and someone entered, approaching his cube.
"Transfer it" It was the Supervisor. "How can we study it in this tiny cage? Stupid fool."
Kuja hardly had time to blink before one of the claws plunged into his cube and seized him round the middle. Instinctively lashing out, he let out a wordless scream of terror. In the sudden glare, he made out the shape of a dim figure nearby, before he was thrown roughly into a different cell.
This one was much higher, but with a much smaller floor area. He could sit curled up or stand, nothing else.
"Leave it transparent. I want the Specimen to recognise me" The Supervisor sounded amused. Kuja took a good look at her.
She was tall and thin, as were all the people he had met so far. Her hair was the colour of straw, and tied tightly behind her head. Her skin was pale cream with a hint of sallowness that made her look decidedly ill, but her eyes shone with health and her muscles were anything but wasted. She regarded him with a cool, calculating gaze that made him shiver.
"Remarkable." She spoke almost admiringly, as if he had done something wonderful. "You will be an interesting study, I am sure."
She turned to face a monitor, and suddenly the walls of the cell were opaque again.
"Almost ready." With that the Supervisor's footsteps faded, and Kuja heard the door close softly behind her.
He took time to think about what he had seen. This lab was different from the others. He did not think there were any other specimens in here at all. Certainly, he couldn't hear them. They had discovered something, something important by the sounds of it. So he had been moved. But why? What was odd that they did not already know? What had they failed to notice before now? The thought of this worried him, and he became lost in thought.
He was brought out of his reverie, but the sound of quiet, sneaking footsteps approaching his cell. He had not heard the person enter.
"She turned it opaque, so I couldn't see." It was the male voice from the other lab: The one who had tried so hard to enter. Kuja realised that he must have something to do with why he had been moved. He dared not speak, but waited.
"What is she trying to hide? What is in here?" It was then that Kuja realised that this person couldn't see him. For some reason, the Supervisor had darkened the outside of the cell. No one had ever done that before, everyone wanted to see the specimens.
"No matter, I will change the code" The voice sounded nervous though, and Kuja heard a few frantic beeps as they worked the computer.
"It is done. Now, to see what all of this means. Transparent."
The cell brightened, and the room swam into view. The computer's acknowledgement of the command was lost in a startled gasp, and a stifled scream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you liked it! Reviews, suggestions and constructive criticism always welcomed and encouraged!
Sorry about the little cliffhanger. ^_^