Shana: Hi people!

Blank: Hello!

Shana: As everyone who is familiar with FFIX will realize this is Blank from the Tantalus thieves, I am only saying this for people who don't…this is Blank!

Blank: (bows) I am her official muse! So I get to be here all the time! (grins)

Zidane: (frowns) Hey, why not me!?

Kuja: Or me!?

Shana: Because you guys get enough attention already! Shoo! (pushes Zidane and Kuja out) Besides Blank is min— (goes into the evil disclaimer trance) I don't own any of the characters from Final Fantasy IX or the song Lonely Boy by Andrew Gold where I got the title… (snaps out of it) Aww, I said it didn't I?

Blank: Yep, (whispers) but I don't mind being yours.

Shana: Yay! To the fic!

There I laid in a crumbled heap, too hurt to even move. I knew I was going to die. I knew I had earned it. But—but I didn't want to be alone. No one was coming, because no one cared. Who was concerned if the evil Angel of Death, the great Kuja, perished? No one, that's who. I had no friends and my only family was Mikoto, whose location I didn't know, and Zidane, my archrival…

A scuffling sound broke through my thoughts. I managed to turn my head towards the noise. Maybe it was a monster come to finish me off. I hoped my end would be quick. Not painless, I had caused pain so it was right for me to receive it. I shut up my eyes tightly. I mentally prepared myself. This was it.

"Waaaaaaaahhh!!" cried a familiar voice.

A loud thud followed. I winced and opened my eyes in surprise. My silly little brother sat up, dazed. Why was Zidane here? The blond monkey-tailed thief should've been with his friends. In an airship, headed in the opposite direction. Did he come back for me? I wouldn't let myself hope it was because he was concerned.

"I could've sworn there were steps there," mumbled Zidane.

He stood up unsteadily and came towards me.

"Kuja?" he inquired hopefully, "You dead?"

"No. Not yet anyway," I moaned.

A look of resolution crept into Zidane's eyes.

"You are not going to die. I won't let you." Zidane put his hands on his hips adamantly.

I weakly laughed, "You wanted me to die before. Why the change of mind?"

A hint of blush appeared in Zidane's cheeks. I stared. Why was he embarrassed?

"Well…you are my brother and…I…I don't think even you deserve to die." The last words came out in a rush.

"But I screwed up you life!" I protested.

"I've found out things here…things about my—our past. If you hadn't sent me from Terra to grow up here in Gaia, I wouldn't have joined Tantalus or met my friends or would have fallen in love with Garnet." He swallowed, eyes downcast, "It's thanks to you that I have all that."

I was speechless. I couldn't believe what he was saying. It was everything I had ever wanted: a second chance.

"And I was hoping maybe you'd come back to live with me and Garnet…if you want, of course…" Zidane looked straight into my eyes.

I saw acceptance, forgiveness…and friendship. He actually cared about me. His brother, who had done so many things wrong. He cared…

My mind was made up. I would do my best for him. I would try to right all the wrongs I had caused. I would live a new live, full of everything I had lost. And for the first time in my life, I felt happy.

"I really want to." I broke into a genuine smile.

Zidane grinned. He reached out his hand to grasp mine, but a loud roar interrupted. We both stared at the entrance of the chamber. A giant monster stomped into view. A product of the Iifa Tree's last attempt at defense. A second after it came into sight I knew we couldn't beat it. I was too weak and Zidane wasn't in top shape either. We would die. With an awful shock I realized that instead of just my life being lost, now Zidane would be killed with me. Zidane was the one who taught me what it meant to live. He lived for all his friends, especially Garnet. And he would never get to see Garnet again…because of me.

I forced myself to my feet. I wouldn't—no—couldn't let Zidane be slaughtered. I dashed towards my brother, putting every last bit of power into my hands. He turned towards me in astonishment.

"Kuja, what—"

Muttering a spell, my hands started to glow white. I shoved him forward, invoking my magic. Zidane vanished; I had succeeded in transporting him out of here in time. Unfortunately, that action took everything out of me.

Collapsing, I whispered, "Zidane, I'm sorry…"

I dimly sensed the fiend approaching. I didn't care. At least, before I died I had done one good deed. I had saved my brother like he had saved me. I wished that he hadn't had to gone through everything he had. I wished he hadn't had to meet me to get all he had now. I wished I hadn't ruined his life.

Then the fiend picked me up in its mighty jaws. An inhuman scream erupted from my mouth as those jaws closed. I fell limp. I managed to say just two words.

"I'm sorry…"

Then I slipped into darkness.

Shana: Kuja's POV, cool.

Blank: I wasn't in it!!

Shana: Sorry…

Blank: I am sad! (stomps off)

Kuja: HA! I was in it! (reads the last part) WHAT!? (appalled) YOU KILLED ME!!!

Shana: Get over it. This isn't a one-shot fic, so keep your tail on.

Kuja: (eyes narrow) The tail thing wasn't funny.

Shana: Depends on how you see things. (to the reader) REVIEW!!