Home of the Heart

By: Cold Rain

Rated: PG-13 for mild violence

NOTE TO READERS: Hi, Readers! Alright, alright! Here's the chapter with Kuja! Are you guys happy now!? (flail, flail) Read & Review! Extra spacing between paragraphs means scene/time transitions. Oh, and I don't own Final Fantasy IX, any of the characters, etc.

DISCLAIMER: If you didn't read the Note to Readers here it is again: I don't own the Final Fantasy IX, any of the characters, etc. I just own the fanfic.

CHAPTER 9: Something's Lurking Here

(Man, I really overreacted. Kuja didn't even know that that was a bad question to ask me... Maybe I should turn back now, he told me not to wander around,) Blank looks around, he had walked around aimlessly to blow off some steam and now he doesn't know which way is "back" anymore. He looks around to note his location; he's on a balcony, there's a candle nearby, and a demon statue is jutting out of the wall next to him. There's another balcony spaced about three feet from the one he's on. That one has a strange painting, a candle, some kind of claw that looked like it used to hold a crystal ball or something on a railing, and an angel statue jutting out of the wall. Blank turns around when he hears a noise, a Koerl is behind him. He glares at it and pulls out his sword, today just isn't his day, and comments, "Tch. Great, just great. You want trouble? Cause you just found it." The Koerl immediately casts a Fira spell at the redhead; Blank is OK, but that was quite a bit of damage to take. He slashes the creature, giving it a little damage, but it's obvious that it's higher level than him. "Kuja, where are you?"

In another section of the Desert Palace, Kuja is dressed in his "normal" outfit and looking for Blank. As his blue eyes scan the hallway, he calls, "Blank! Where are you? If you can hear me, then please answer! This place is dangerous to roam by yourself!" No answer, either Blank is not here, in trouble, still angry, or... no, he's stronger than that; he won't die that easily, he's stubborn. The silver-haired Genome walks up a flight of stairs, into the library, and through the stained-glass "wall/window" and stops in front of a moogle that he can't remember the name of. The moogle, of course, lets out a "Kupo!" in surprise that Kuja is here; it's been a year since Kuja vacated this place.

"Have you seen a redhead that looks like he was sewn together? He's carrying a sword, he's wearing brown leather, and his eyes are covered," Kuja inquires, looking a lot more impatient than he sounds.

"Kupo! Yes, I have!" the moogle replies, its red pom-pom bouncing as it jumps up and down, "I asked him if he wanted some potions because this place is dangerous or if he wanted me to record that he was here, but he ignored me! He went by just a minute ago; he can't be far, kupo!"

"Good," Kuja smiles, now walking past the moogle and into the next room, the room with the angel and demon statues. The sight he saw then was very surprising; Blank was fighting a monster, and technically he looks like he's losing (Blank is starting to bleed quite a bit). Kuja didn't expect to actually witness a fight; he walks up to where he can get a better view and calls out to the redhead, "Blank, you really had me worried. Do you need any help?" Both Blank and the Koerl notice the silver-haired man watching and the Koerl decides that beating up the redhead is boring and it's time to beat up the new guy. The Koerl immediately sits up in a position that gave away that it was planning on hitting Kuja with its Laser attack.

"Kuja! Look out! It's in an attack position! Run!" Blank starts to run towards Kuja as the Koerl starts its attack. Kuja throws his arms in front of him to shield himself as the blinding flash heads towards him. Blank jumps in front of the disoriented Genome and bounces the blast away with his sword blade (that counts as the equivalent of a "miss") and starts to glow.

Kuja stares in amazement at the redhead and murmurs, "Trance... You're in Trance..."

"No one should dare to even try to hurt any of my friends," Blank glares at the Koerl and raises his arm up, sparks crackling in the air around him, "Judgment Bolt." A bolt of lighting strikes the Koerl from out of thin air and destroys it completely.

Kuja looks even more shocked; Blank used an Eidolon's attack, that won't help Kuja win him over, "Blank..."

"Are you OK, Kuja?" Blank asks, reverting back to his normal form.

"Yes, I'm alright," Kuja smiles, (Blank did that to protect me? Amazing...)

"So, um," Blank blushes awkwardly at the thought of his own question, "Do you normally wear an outfit like that?"

Here's a chapter with Kuja! Be happy! All of you! Oh, and please Read & Review! Don't be afraid to give your opinion!