A/N: Ah . . . I apologize for the cliffy . . . I know, that was terrible of me.  And the wait!  Oy, I am SOOOOO sorry!  I had all these stupid formatting problems and stuff . . . You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get this chapter on the web.  Anyways, CAN THESE CHAPTERS GET ANY LONGER?!?!?!  This one's longer than the last one!  What the heck is goin' on?!  Crazy . . .  And this chapter makes absolutely no sense!  MWAHAHAHAHAHA!  Well, it does to me.  But that's 'cause I know the plot already ^_^  So you all must suffer and ponder the meaning of this strange madness I have spewed in this next segment of the story.  I PROMISE it will all makes sense . . . someday . . . Until then, read and review!

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy = Property of Squaresoft.  Kuja = Should be BMD's property . . . But isn't . . . *sob*

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"I reached for sleep and drew it round me like a blanket muffling pain and thought together in the merciful dark."

 – Mary Stewart

Garland's fist closed around the protrusion of stone outside the door.  It was still hot.  She was still in there . . . A grin spread across his face. 

"Flame . . ." he whispered.  "Drakja, have you put the Gulug Stone in yet?!"

"I'm – getting – there!" Drakja shoved the stone into the back wall.  There was no space to actually stick it but his strength pummeled it into the stone and caused long cracks to spread along the wall.  "Got it!"

Garland nodded.  "Good.  She may not respond to me.  But she will DEFINITELY respond to you," Drakja said nothing.  His master's fist twitched, ready to open the door, when the red light that always seemed present in his armor suddenly burst forth in a brilliant explosion of luminescence.  Drakja shielded his face, green eyes wide.

"Wh-what the heck?!"

Garland stared down at the light, fingers slipping from the stone.  "It can't be . . ." he whispered.  "What could possibly have . . ." he froze.  "Drakja, stay here.  I'll be back,"

And with that, Garland disappeared.  Drakja grasped at the space his master had vanished through.

"Wait!  Sir, I – oh hell," he disappeared as well.

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Zidane shielded his eyes from the yellow light, trying to hold himself steady as the ground shook.  Above him, Lulian was letting out small sobs of fright.  Whatever was going on had to be REALLY bad, the genome realized.

And then, all at once, the pile of rubble that had buried Kuja exploded.  Planks of wood and stone flew into the air, raining down upon them all.  Through the dust, Zidane could see someone sitting Indian-style, shoulders hunched as if in pain.  The only truly discernable thing through the smoke was a pair of glowing, red eyes . . . It had happened to Kuja again . . .

"They've awakened!" the cloaked woman gasped, grabbing Zidane and pulling him back slightly.

People were running and screaming now, probably fearing another geonome attack.  Lulian looked around at the Alexandrians in horror.

"Shut up, you idiots!" she shrieked.  "You'll make it worse!!!"

Kuja's head rose slowly, silvery hair lifting off his back as if caught in a high wind.  Debris was flying around his form like a storm and a soft yellow halo surrounded his body.  A low growl escaped his throat.

"Don't – move, Zidane," the violet-eyed woman whispered.  "Just don't move,"

Kuja lifted lethargically into the air, cloak billowing out behind him.  His blood-colored eyes seemed to be scanning the area though his face remained expressionless.  And suddenly, he threw back his head in a bone-crushing scream and the entire square was bathed in light.  The buildings nearest to him exploded so simply it was if someone had simply stepped on them.  People were thrown hundreds of feet into the air.  The purple-eyed woman managed to use her telekinesis to keep Zidane on the ground.

"What is he doing?!" the genome cried as the light began to fade.  "Has he lost his fuckin' MIND?!"

"Zidane, he doesn't know what he's doing," the woman explained almost pleadingly.  "You can't blame him for this.  We can only try and stop him,"

"Grr . . . I'LL stop him!" Lulian snapped, darting into the air.  "I'll be killed if my master finds out about this!"

"NO!" the violet-eyed woman screamed, reaching out to grab the geonome's dress.  "Don't put him in danger!  It'll make it worse!"

"Shut up!" Lulian threw a flare straight at Kuja, knocking him backwards several feet.  He hit the ground, unmoving for a moment.  Zidane stifled a cry.  Suddenly, Kuja's eyes snapped open, their color now an even deeper, more flaming red.  A snarl like a dog's rose in his throat and he sent a magical blast of energy right into Lulian's chest.  She let out a cry and fell to the ground on her knees, gasping for breath.

"Th-that's not an attack!" she choked out.  "What the hell WAS that?!"

"Please!  Don't anger him!" Zidane's protector begged, looking ready to get down on her hands and knees.  "You could hurt him!"

Lulian let out a sarcastic "HA!" 

"How the hell could I hurt THAT thing!" she pointed at Kuja who was now rising to his feet, the yellow light around him beginning to spin.  "He's INSANE!!!"

"You KNOW he's not!  You know what happened!  Don't hurt him!"

Zidane watched, mortified.  His brother was on some kind of rampage!  Things were exploding EVERYWHERE!

Lulian charged, feet skimming the ground as she made a punch at her nemesis.  Kuja dodged it easily and slammed her into the ground.  They heard a crack.  He'd broken her spine!  The geonome let out a blood-curdling gargle and melted into a slug (an invertebrate) and back again.  She let out a gasp, touching her back.

"That son of a bitch!"

She reached out towards Kuja and grabbed his tail between her fists, squeezing.  "See how YOU like it!"

Kuja turned and stared at her, crimson eyes flashing.  Then, a voice quite unlike his own began to speak.  It sounded almost female/male.  Completely neutral.

"We're sworn to protect him," he growled, not even wincing as Lulian squeezed her fist closed tighter.  It should've broken his tail but the warlock didn't even flinch.  "And until we're gone, you can say your prayers!"

The violet-eyed woman gasped, pushing Zidane out of the way as she took a step forward.  "Don't!" she cried.  "You're not helping him!  You're KILLING him!"

Kuja's eyes lashed onto her, lip curling.  "Who are YOU to judge what we are doing?!  You wish to return us?"

"I do!  And I know where!"

Kuja's face twisted into a grimace.  An impetuous wrath glowed in his violent eyes.  "We will NOT go to him!  You cannot make us!"

"But this is not suitable!  You're too strong now, Kuja!  Remember what happened when you let it completely take over?  You're too weak!  Think about the consequences!"

Kuja let out a small "Gerk!" of pain and his eyes flashed to blue for a moment.  He dropped to his knees, clutching at his chest.  Zidane's eyes widened.  But then his brother's eyes jerked back to red and his teeth were bared once more.

"We are no longer under orders!" his genderless voice shouted.  Lulian's hand was trembling now.  She let go of his tail and it slithered out of her reach.  "Nothing can take that away from us!  And you know what happens when we fall into other hands with evil intentions!"

"I do!  And I won't let anyone!  Just STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"

Kuja's eyes narrowed.  A pile of overturned trashcans down the street exploded.  His fingers were clenched into fists at his sides.

"Zidane!" the violet-eyed woman shouted.  "Bring him back!"

"What?!  Are you NUTS?!  I'm not goin' near him like this!"

The woman smacked him across the shoulder in annoyance.  "No, not that!  Say something that will bring him back!  Call out his name!  Anything!"

Zidane frowned.  /Call out his name?/

"Kuja!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.  "Kuja, stop what you're doing!  Think!  You're not the villain anymore!  Don't turn that around!"

Kuja hesitated, eyes flashing once more.  Then he let out a scream, throwing himself into a nearby building and punching his fist straight through the support.  The entire construct came crashing down.  The cowl-covered woman gasped.

"It's working!  Keep going!"

Zidane nodded, determined.  "Kuja!  You swore you'd never hurt anyone again!  Don't take back your promise!"

"AAAARGH!" Kuja dropped to his knees, pulling at his hair.  His body trembled.  Now Zidane was pumped. 

/I can do this . . ./

"Think about your reputation, Kuja!  Don't give people a reason to hate you!"

Kuja hissed furiously.  He began to crawl forward, hand reaching out towards Zidane.  Lulian covered her mouth in horror.  A wind seemed to be pulling Kuja back.  He cried out, blocking his face as a gale surrounded Zidane, protecting him.  Something was stopping his brother and it wasn't the purple-eyed woman. 

"Kill . . ." Kuja breathed.  "Shut up . . . Or we'll kill you . . ."

Lulian blinked suddenly, bending over and daintily picking something up off the ground.  The geonome stared at the object, frowning, and then glanced up at Zidane.

He bit his lip.  Something had to bring Kuja back . . .

/Of course!/

"Think about MEGAAAAAN!!!"

The wind disappeared.  The air calmed.  Kuja shut his eyes, hunched over in pain. 

"Ugh . . ." he dropped to all fours, breaking out in a sweat.  A trickle of blood rolled down his chin.  He was gasping for breath.  And he almost seemed to be . . .

Dying . . .

/Flash/

Kuja shuddered, his face pale. Beatrix's eyes flashed and she crouched down next to him, peering intently into his face.

His lips were coated with blood . . .

A thin line of red liquid dripped out of the corner of his mouth and rolled down his chin, falling with a small splash onto the unpaved road. Beatrix gently wiped some up with one finger, staring at the blood as if it were the wrong color . . .

"Oh, and also," Zidane added.  "I won't file for police brutality. If you look closely, his lip's not cut,"

It was true . . . There was nothing there that could possibly explain any blood . . .

/Flash/

Zidane gasped.  /Kuja's eyes were red then too!  What in the world is going on?!/ The purple-eyed woman grabbed him. 

"Zidane!  Zidane, wait!" she shrieked suddenly and he felt her hands leave him.  The genome looked over his shoulder.

"Aaaaaagh!" Garland had appeared out of nowhere and clapped a hand over the woman's mouth.  Now he was steadily lifting into the air with her struggling desperately in his arms.

"Oh, you ARE a sneaky one, aren't you?" Garland teased, letting go of the violet-eyed woman's body.  She floated in the air, her back to him and a small glow resonating around her immobile body.  She let out a choking sound.

"Zidane!  Your brother . . . don't let this happen again!  Bring him back!  Get rid of – " her voice was strangled and Garland shoved a hand straight through her back.  Blood exploded onto the street.  Spectators below screamed.  Nearby, Zidane spotted Drakja, peering out from behind a building.  He seemed thoughtful.  Then Garland and the woman vanished and Drakja hurriedly followed suit.

Alexandrian soldiers were flooding the street, swords at the ready.

"What the hell is goin' on here?!" it was Beatrix and she was looking around at the busted buildings in horror.  Zidane was about to call out her name when he spotted the pool of the purple-eyed woman's blood . . . Reminding him . . .

/Kuja!/

The sorcerer was lying in the street, completely unmoving.  Zidane bit his lip, nervously running over to his fallen brother.  As he neared him, Kuja stirred and coughed up a spray of blood onto the road.  The first angel of death groaned and curled in slightly, eyes shut tight in pain.  Zidane dropped to his knees at the warlock's side, gently touching his shoulder. 

"Kuja . . ." he whispered, shaking him slightly.  "Kuja, are you okay?"

His brother didn't respond.  Zidane glanced up nervously, something catching his attention nearby.  He realized, suddenly, that it was whatever object Lulian had picked up before.  Reaching over Kuja's body, Zidane's fingers clasped around the entity and he held the thing up close to his face, which clouded over in immediate confusion.

"A red feather?  But . . ."

Kuja's eyes flickered open slightly.  They were back to their usual icy blue; but now they were clouded and glazed in sheer agony.  He let out a soft whimper.  "Zidane . . . Don't let them kill anyone . . . They said they would . . . hurt people . . . if I . . . was hurt . . ."

His body went limp.  Zidane gasped.  But he could see that Kuja was still alive and he hurriedly lifted his brother into his arms, looking for a way to get back to the castle without someone stopping him in the street.

"Zidane!" Beatrix was standing nearby, staring at him.  The two made eye-contact and an unspoken contract seemed to come between them: it wasn't Kuja's fault.  Beatrix nodded and turned away, shouting at a soldier to look for any geonomes in the street.  Zidane realized, suddenly, that Lulian was gone.

/Probably turned into a worm and is squelching away as we speak . . ./ the genome thought with some satisfaction.

Kuja shuddered and a small trickle of blood rolled down his chin again.  Zidane broke into a run.  "Just hold on, Kuja!"

/He'll be okay . . . won't he?/

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Mikoto and Ummei both jerked in surprise as they heard the sound of screaming and a struggle outside the door. 

"Shut up, bitch!  STAND DOWN!"

"Make me!  You monster, how dare you – UGH!"

There was a thud and the door flew open.  Garland stood there, holding a young woman around twenty-five by the ear.  There was a gaping wound in her stomach and blood spilling all over the floor, yet still she managed to swipe and twist and flail, desperate to get away.  Ummei's mouth dropped open in horror at the sight of Garland and he scrambled to his feet, bowing clumsily.

"S-sir . . .!  Wh-what brings you to the boiler-dungeons?!"

Garland raised a gray eyebrow, ignoring the screaming of the woman he was holding.  "Shut it with the smart words, Ummei.  We all know you're an idiot," he threw the woman into the room with such force that she hit the back wall and didn't move.  Mikoto's eyes were bigger than saucers.

"G-g-g-g-g-garland?!"

Garland ignored her and spat bitterly before turning sharply on his heel.  Speaking over his shoulder, he gave his final requests.

"Ummei, make sure that woman doesn't get out.  Seems she's a little tattle-tale.  If she attempts any form of telekinetic powers, I give you the privilege to use the blocking part of the Metsubo,"

Ummei's mouth must have hit his feet at that one.  "Th-th-th-the METSUBO?!!!" he stuttered, sounding comically like Mikoto.  "But sir, I – "

"Are you disobeying orders, Ummei?"

"No!  Of course not!"

The door slammed shut in his face.  There was a ringing silence.  Ummei turned slowly to look at the woman strewn across the floor.  She twitched and opened one eye, smirking.

"Stupid Garland . . ." she muttered, sitting up.  "Like I'm going to let myself get afflicted by any part of that stupid Metsubo . . . Wha – ?"

Ummei was crouched down in front of her, staring intently into her face.  "There's something wrong with your eyes . . ." he stated, nose touching hers.  The woman blinked pulling back into the wall.

"I'm aware of that!" she snapped, pushing the geonome back.  Mikoto was on all fours, trying to see how far she could get near the woman while being shackled down.

"Miss!  Are you okay?!" she shouted, noticing the blood on the woman's cloak.  The purple-eyed mage glanced down at the wound and frowned.

"I'll be fine . . ."

Ummei reached towards it, looking serious.  "That's a nasty puncture wound you've got . . ." he muttered.  "Be careful.  If you touch it, it may become an avulsion.  I wish I had some kind of absorbent cloth . . ."

Mikoto was speechless.  "Ummei . . . are you . . . saying something . . . intelligent . . . ?" the geonome glanced over his shoulder, eyes blank.

"What about a dent?  I don't know nothin' 'bout no dent,"

Mikoto groaned, slapping a hand to her forehead.  "Idiot . . ." she mumbled.  The purple-eyed woman was staring in surprise at Mikoto suddenly, then focusing on her tail. 

"I-it can't be . . .!" she gasped.  "You're . . . you're the third angel of death!"

"Er . . . yeah, I am . . ."

"So Garland's plan is already in action . . ."

Mikoto gulped nervously, drawing her legs in.  "I can't believe he's alive . . ." she whispered.  "I mean . . . after everything . . ."

"Kid – Ummei is the name? – are you . . . on our side?"

Ummei said nothing.  He stared down at the floor for a moment before standing up and closing a fist.  He hesitated, then opened his hand.  A black orb was floating within it, spurting small bolts of lightning.

"I . . . er . . . Just don't make me have to use this,"

The violet-eyed woman stared at the darkness accumulating in his hand and frowned.  "A shadow-ball?" it crackled and she shut up immediately.  Mikoto was gazing blankly at the door. 

/Garland . . . Are you in command of this ship . . .?/

She glanced at the shadow-ball.  Ummei miserably blew on it.  The orb spun in an angry spiral. 

/Is it you that makes innocent people have to hurt others . . .?/

The lavender-eyed woman blinked sadly at the geonome, shaking her head.

/Is it you that makes innocent people get hurt . . .?/

". . . Kuja . . ."

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". . . Kuja . . . Wake up . . ."

Kuja wrinkled his nose, groaning.  Someone was moving above him.  He couldn't drag himself out of the darkness.  It felt like icy paws were trying to drown him; never letting him free.  If he never woke again it would mean nothing . . .

"Is he gonna be alright?"

Zidane?  Kuja drew himself further into the frothy blackness.  No one could save him now.  That was what they had told him.  He would never come back.

"He seems stable.  Hasn't this happened before?"

Kuja knew the voice from somewhere.  The memory of it was fading fast.  Everything was.  His name . . . his life . . . his destiny . . . No longer belonged to him.

"Yeah.  When Beatrix arrested him the same thing happened.  Last time he coughed up some blood and almost passed out, but . . . it was a lot worse this time . . . Can't you wake him?"

There was some shuffling.  Kuja listened inwardly to the other voices.  They seemed happy enough.  There was one, though.  A woman.  She was pleading.  Make them stop . . . Make them stop . . .         

/They won't . . ./ Kuja whispered within himself.  /Give up the fight . . ./

"Zidane.  I . . . I think I know what's happening . . ."

"You – you do?!"

"Just give me a minute,"

The sorcerer blanketed himself in the blackness.  It was kind of comforting.  A place where no one would bother him.  How nice . . . So quiet.  Who was this Zidane they were referring to?  Someone he had once known . . .?

"Kuja," someone whispered from above. 

/Eh?/

"What are you doing?" there was a moment of silence.  Then . . .

"Christopher Smith,"

/Me?  I must . . . respond . . . Ugh – /

Kuja's eyes snapped open.  He sat up in horror and cried out.  Someone was shouting – no, shrieking in his mind.  The genome clapped his hands over his ears, trying to rid himself of the screaming.

"No!  Stop!  NOOOOOO!!!"

Someone pushed him back down, pinning the warlock by his shoulders.  Kuja struggled for a moment and then focused on who was holding him down.

"Dr. Tot – !" he managed to choke out, relenting slightly.  "What's – AAAHH!" the shouting had returned again.  Kuja shut his eyes in agony.  It felt like his brain was going to split open.  He would have preferred death over this.

"Kuja."

The voices stopped.  Kuja's eyes blinked open.  It felt like there was an empty hole within him.  Zidane stood behind Dr. Tot, eyes wide.

"Kuja?"

/That's . . . me.  I'm Kuja./

"Dr. Tot, what just happened?  Who's Christopher Smith?" Zidane queried nervously.

Kuja realized he was lying in the infirmary of Alexandria Castle.  How embarrassing . . . Dr. Tot gave a half-hearted smile.

"Christopher Smith is my late uncle,"

"Late?"

"Yes.  He worked for Queen Brahne as a ship technician.  When Bahamut sunk her ship, he went with it.  Nasty way to go, really,"

/Christopher Smith . . ./ Kuja thought to himself.  /Met him once.  Shrewd little fellow he was . . ./

Zidane looked uneasy as Kuja gazed up at the ceiling, still a little hazy.  "But what ABOUT Christopher Smith?"

The whispering in Kuja's ears was threatening to reach full pitch again.  He didn't know why but he suddenly blurted out "Stop saying Christopher Smith," and then returned to the fascinating world of ceiling tiles.  Dr. Tot smirked, his beak twisting.

"I apologize," he said to Kuja.  "How rude of me.  Kuja," he put extra emphasis on the name.  The warlock glanced at him contemplatively, then turned inward to his thoughts once more.  Zidane neared his brother unsurely.

"Kuja, are you – ?" Tot took the ex-thief by the arm and steered him out of the way.

"We've got to talk . . ." the old scholar muttered, dragging Zidane into the corner of the infirmary.

"What is it?"

Tot harrumphed, pulling off his spectacles and wiping them on his coat.  He seemed a lot more serious than usual.  "Zidane," said the bird-like man.  "I've got a task for you.  It's going to sound strange, but it must be done before anything else can be accomplished,"

"What do you want me to do?" Zidane did not like the tone in Tot's voice.  It sounded like someone had died.  Tot sighed.

"You have to – HAVE TO – make your brother tell that girl who he really is,"

Zidane's eyebrows rose with surprise.  "You mean Megan?"

"Yes.  Do whatever it takes,"

"But . . . why?"

Tot glanced over at Kuja across the room.  The first angel of death was rubbing his forehead, frowning.

"Just do it.  I'll explain everything later on.  I think, however, that I may have stumbled upon part of Garland's plan . . ." 

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Garland snarled as he shoved open the door outside the Fire Chamber.  He could see that the Gulug Stone, smashed into the far wall, had caused splinters to form in the rock.  The cracks were glowing with a dull red.  Good . . . That meant access would be easy.

"Drakja!"

"Coming!  Geez!" the geonome stomped over, festering slightly.  Garland didn't look too happy himself.

"Delays, delays . . ." he mumbled, fumbling with the door-handle at the end of the room.  "Curse them . . . I can't believe this!" he began ranting suddenly as he placed a spell upon the stone.  "I spent so much damn time blocking the other entities; I never let them surface!  And then I turn my back for ONE second and my whole plan comes crashing down!  You DO realize what will happen if Kuja has – whether by his own volition or not – access to the other entities, don't you?" When Drakja blinked stupidly, Garland sighed, rolling his eyes.  "We won't be able to near him, idiot!  Think about it!  How are you going to complete the Metsubo task if they're uncontrollable?!  Duh!"

Drakja frowned and  asked a question that had been on his mind for quite some time.

"Master . . . That light,"

"Yes?"

"Was that . . . what you want?  The thing that got out of control?"

Garland threw open the stone door, colorless eyes narrowed dangerously.  "Yes . . . Which means my plan is moving ahead of me.  We don't have much time now,"

"But . . . Maybe we should do this later then," Drakja kept his eyes averted, not wanting to push his master's temper too far.  Surprisingly, Garland chuckled.

"Patience, Drakja.  Have patience . . . Ah, she's still here,"

Drakja's eyes widened at the sight that greeted them in the Fire Chamber.  Something floated in suspended animation at the end of the room, eyes eerily open, long hair lying lifeless across the floor.

"Wh-what IS that?!"

Garland ignored his servant and moved down the room, coming to a halt before the motionless being.  "Madeline . . ." he whispered, reaching out a hand towards her.  His fingers sizzled for a moment and when he pulled them back, they were shrouded in flames.  Garland laughed as the fire dissipated and turned to Drakja, beckoning the nervous geonome forward.  "Come on!  She won't hurt you!"

Drakja edged towards the strange being, tail held alert in the air.  "She doesn't SEEM alive . . ." he mumbled, eyeing the creature with nerves.

"Oh, she is.  Her fire's still on,"

The two of them stood side by side, staring at the odd identity.  Finally, Garland held out a hand and pressed his palm against the invisible barrier, ignoring the flames immediately engulfing his fingers.

"Rebirth . . ."

The barrier crackled, spinning around the creature.  Drakja stepped back, bravery failing him.  The being vanished behind a sphere of flames that twisted like a tornado around her.  A wind picked up within the chamber.  Garland smiled wickedly.  Then something hit the floor with a dull smack and an explosion rocked the stones around them.  Dust smeared their vision for several seconds.  Then . . .

Something arose from the smoke, yellow eyes gleaming like fog-lights in a storm-tossed sea.  Drakja and Garland became aware of an odd rattling sound and a breathy hiss like a snake.  Something slithered near Drakja's foot.  He pulled back but was stopped by Garland who grabbed his wrist and threw him forward. 

"See if she remembers!" he snapped.  Drakja gulped and turned to the creature before him.  Her amber eyes were gleaming.

"Who are you . . .?" she hissed.  A forked tongue licked the air gingerly.  Drakja's thoughts scrambled as he tried to come up with something to say.

"I – I am Drakja . . . Descended of the city of Tanjo . . ." something twisted around his ankle, rooting him to the spot.

"Drakja . . . of Tanjo?  Is this some sort of joke?"

"It is no joke," Garland's voice floated out from behind them.  "And neither am I,"

"G-Garland?"

"Yes.  And I have come here to ask you to rejoin me,"

The creature's glowing eyes narrowed suspiciously and the rattling sound rose slightly in volume and speed.  "Why should I?  Look what happened to me last time . . ."

A grin spread across Garland's pale lips.  He looked as if Christmas had come early.  "What if I told you, you could have ALL the revenge you ever wanted?" the rattling stopped.  Drakja felt the coil release his leg.  The forked tongue flickered in Garland's face.

"ALL the revenge?  Meaning I could kill . . .Them . . .?"

"Yes.  And you could kill the one that forced you to do all that in the first place,"

"He's not . . . dead?"

"No.  But if you wish him to be . . ."

" – What do I have to do?"

Garland grinned sinisterly.  "It's a simple task . . . Just – "

"What about Derek?  Linda?  Michael?"

Garland's balloon seemed to deflate slightly.  He glanced at Drakja, conveying the message "speak and die" and then put on the most sympathetic face he possibly could (a daring feat for someone like him).

"Madeline . . . I'm afraid they are . . . dead,"

". . . Dead . . .?"

"Yes.  Killed by the others,"

There was a moment of silence.

"Then tell me what I must do . . ."

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A/N: Hey!  Did anyone figure out who that woman was?  The evil one with the fire?  It's pretty obvious . . . She's going to be an interesting one for our heroes to deal with.  I'm going to have a little fun with her.  And if you're wondering about those names, Madeline, Derek, Linda, and Michael, I will get to them later.  But the number of names is ANOTHER clue to who that woman is.  Gah, it's so obvious!  *Tears her hair out*  Anyways . . . Any strange words I used that need describing?  Er . . . Ah, yes.  Tanjo.  It means "birth" in Japanese.  When I say that Drakja is descended of the city of Tanjo, it could mean several things.  It could mean A) Drakja IS the original Drakja who was the general of the Tanjan army.  B) Drakja is simply referring to the fact that he is NOT the original Drakja and he was created after the Drakja from Tanjo.  Or C) Drakja was simply created in Tanjo.  Dunno . . . I'll leave it up to you people to decide.  However, the fact that the woman seemed so suspicious of Drakja being descended of Tanjo leaves me to believe she thinks he's the original.  Dunno . . . *sigh* Oh, poor Kuja!  I felt so terrible doing that to him!  He didn't deserve what I just did.  You'll see what I mean later.  *shudders* The mystery is unfolding . . . MWAHAHAHAHA.  And now Mikoto knows about Garland.  And Megan is going to have to find out about "Feather."  Hehehe . . . Sit tight.  And review my god damn fic!

BlAcK mAgE dAd 0 . 0

P.S. I've discovered some new formatting tricks.  I'm really excited.  I am going to test one out . . . now . . . Oh!  Oh!  Oh my god!  I italicized something!  This is the happiest day of my life!