Edonil: Hopefully I'll get today's done soon… Maybe tomorrow I'll try for two days' worth. What do you think?
Disclaimer: Everyone say it with me! I do not own FFIX! SquareSoft does!
Claimer: The beautiful Crims belongs to me. The cute but annoying Sarah also belongs to me.
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To Change
Chapter Fourteen
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure, Kuja? I mean, you do have enemies-"
"Zidane, I've survived how many years with enemies who want to kill me? I'm going to my own home, after all!"
"But Kuja…"
"Zidane, you go to Lindblum and have a wonderful time. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, positive."
"But what if-"
"Zidane!" Queen Garnet hurried over two where the two brothers were standing. "You said you trusted Kuja, remember? We have to go, or we'll be late!"
"… Fine."
"Farewell, Your Highness, Zidane," Kuja said, smiling. Zidane was very agreeable where Queen Garnet was concerned.
"'Bye, Kuja."
"Goodbye, Kuja."
"BYE-BYE, UNCLE KUJA!" Kuja winced at the sound of his niece's voice. Why was Sarah talking to him? He ought to do something about that brat.
Except, of course, she was Zidane's daughter, and Zidane wouldn't like that. So he would just have to let her live.
Finally, the royal family left. It was nice and quiet. It was wonderful. If only Kuja could stay there…
He mentally took that back when he heard the clank of rusty armour behind him. Captain Steiner. Wonderful.
"You!"
"Captain Steiner! I didn't hear you! May I help you?" Kuja asked, composing his features and turning around. Stupid rust-covered fool!
"Zidane said you'd be leaving for a while. Where are you going?"
"I am going to go check on my property."
"Huh?"
"I have a mansion in Treno that might or might not have been sold, I own the Treno auction house, which also might no longer be mine, and my Desert Palace is no doubt overrun with monsters. I plan on investigating."
"Oh." Kuja waited for the typical rusty-knight's response. "I don't trust you. You're up to something."
"No, I'm not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a little pressed for time, and would like to be off today. Perhaps we can continue our little discussion when we get back?"
"But-" Kuja ignored Captain Steiner, choosing that moment to turn around and leave.
---
"Crims?" He knocked on the door again. "Are you there?" Still no answer. Curious, he pushed the door open.
Crims was lying on the bed, asleep. Kuja frowned. She'd been so excited when he'd said he was going to show her his Desert Palace… She should have been awake. Perhaps she was just tired. He walked over and shook her gently. She didn't move. Was she alright. Kuja reached up to smooth her hair- and pulled his hand back. She had a fever! She was burning up! Was she going to be alright?
Calm yourself, he thought. No point in panicking. It won't do you or Crims any good. You're in Alexandria. They have doctors here. Take her to a doctor, and she'll be fine. With that thought in mind, Kuja gently laid her down on the bed, covered her up with a blanket, shut the door, and walked downstairs.
"Crims has a fever. I'm getting a doctor," he told the innkeeper.
"Goodness!" the innkeeper exclaimed. "You know where the doc lives?" Kuja nodded. "Ok, you go get 'im, and I'll get my wife to look after the lady 'til you're back, alright?" Again, Kuja nodded.
"Thank you, kind sir."
---
Kuja soon returned, the town doctor in tow. The doctor took one look at Crims and sighed.
"She's very sick," he told Kuja. "I'm worried. Prepare yourself for the worst." The doctor than bent over to examine Crims. "When did she get sick?"
"She was fine yesterday… I think."
"You think? Was she in any way ill?"
"Um… She's pregnant, and she said she wanted to lie down, so I thought…"
"I see. I suppose that is a logical assumption. Are you her husband?"
"No. I'm her boyfriend."
"Oh!" The doctor frowned at Kuja for a moment, then went on examining Crims. Finally, he stopped. "I'm sorry, but I honestly do not know what is wrong with her. It is not like anything I have ever seen before, and I've seen a lot." He pursed his lips. "It sounds a little like something a friend of mine, who's also a doctor, described once. I'll have to check with him."
"What was it your friend described," Kuja asked anxiously.
"Well, it was here in Alexandria, about five years ago. Right after that weird eyeball in the sky and Alexander and all. People started getting sick. I was off in Lindblum at the time, helping the refugees. My friend described something like a fever. I think some of the Burmecians also showed symptoms of a similar illness. I'm not sure what the illness is, though."
"Is it possible the disease has something to do with the planet of Terra?" Kuja asked.
"I suppose. Actually, that's what my friend thinks. If it is, then I don't think we have a chance. I suppose a genome might be able to tell us a cure, but I don't think anyone else could."
"Genomes are immune to disease," Kuja said absently. Perhaps he had something in the Desert Palace… He had a lot of plants there that he had brought from Terra. As long as they hadn't died…
"And how do you know that? You meet a genome somewhere?" the doctor asked.
"Actually, I am a genome."
"Oh." The doctor looked at Kuja for a moment. "Do you mind if I try something?"
"What do you wish to try?"
"Well, it's possible your friend here got the disease from you. You might have carried it in you, but were unaffected by it, because of some natural immunity. Perhaps I could use your blood…"
"It won't work." Kuja thought for several minutes. Then, "Wait a minute! I know how genomes are made! I think I know what it is that makes our immunity. There's this bit of DNA that's not in most Gaians… Could I somehow make an antidote?"
"Yes, you could."
"Then I will." Kuja walked over to where Crims was lying. "Will it harm her if I move her? I'd like to take her with me, if you don't mind."
"Not at all. And if you come up with some antidote, please tell me. I'd love to have access to it."
"I will," Kuja assured him, picking up Crims.
---
It took what seemed like an eternity to get to the Desert Palace. Kuja had managed to locate a dragon willing to take him, and when he explained the situation to the dragon, it was only too happy to carry Crims and Kuja as fast as it could. But it still took so long…
But finally they made it. Crims was quickly deposited into a bed in the guest wing, and Kuja hurried to his laboratory. Everything was as he had left it. Nothing had even tried to breach the seal and enter. That was excellent. It didn't take Kuja long to find everything he needed. Then he only had to figure out how to make an antidote.
It took him many, many tries. Thirty-seven, to be specific. But he came up with something that could be used on humans. Hopefully Crims was either a human or her DNA was similar to that of a human. If it wasn't… But she looked human. She should be fine. Then to make sure it would work. He didn't want to test it on her…
But he had no choice.
Luckily for him, it worked.
Her temperature started dropping within an hour. Then there were more physical signs. Her breathing, which had been very shallow, became regular, and her skin became less flushed. She moved a little in her sleep. Kuja sat down in a chair to watch her. He'd been working for so long… A week? Two? Zidane would be back in Alexandria by now. Crims was definitely getting better. Perhaps he should take her temperature…
Edonil: But is she better? I won't tell you until the next chapter! You'll just have to wait… Please R&R!