They were all seated in the queen's chambers. They had gathered chairs so everyone could be seated; Kuja, Mira, Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, Freya, Eiko, Regent Cid and his wife, Kupo, Steiner, and Beatrix. Quina was busy and Amarant was not present in Alexandria yet. Everyone had been shocked at the appearance of Kuja. Mira was still pale, but she had composed herself and was now watching the moogle, as Kuja was. The room was dead silent after Zidane and Garnet had updated those who weren't present at the fire of the situation.
"Well, what does this mean then?" Steiner finally asked.
"We're not sure." Garnet said. "Maybe Garland has it in his head to finish what he started."
"But Terra was destroyed. Kuja did that for us." Eiko piped in, glaring over at Kuja. She couldn't bring herself to trust him; he had nearly killed all the people she cared about.
Kuja sighed. "Just because the planet was destroyed, doesn't mean the souls were. That will take much more time." He turned to look at Kupo. "I think you have some answers, and I think you had better share them."
Eiko jumped up from her chair and stood in front of the moogle, who simply gazed at Kuja mildly. "You are not gonna hurt him!"
"Of course I'm got going to." Kuja replied irritably.
"I can't tell you all you want to know." Kupo spoke up. "I can't even tell you why Garland is back, or how he is alive. I can only tell you to trust yourselves, and follow your instincts." Kuja got up in frustration.
"You know who she is." He pointed at Mira. "Or you certainly seemed to both when you first saw her and then again at the fire."
"No, I do not 'know' her. I know of her. I can tell you she is more than she seems, and that she is very powerful. Nothing more."
"Why not?" Garnet remembered her own amnesia, and didn't know how a moogle could withhold something as precious as a person's identity.
"Because it could conceivably kill her. She was never meant to have amnesia in the first place, and there are some significant problems with telling her too much." Kupo turned to look at Mira. "You tried to remember on your own?" She nodded. "And you got terrible headaches, maybe even blacked out?" She nodded again and looked down at her hands. "You see, she has a lot of information in that head of hers, and if too much is released at once, it could overload her mind, effectively roasting her brain. Her memories should return on their own, she just has to give it time."
"What about…what I did at the fire. Could that happen again?" Mira looked nervously at Kupo.
"What exactly did happen?" Freya had been watching the woman closely and could find nothing threatening about her.
Kupo looked a bit nervous now. "Well you see, she can act instinctively. A part of Mira knows the truth about who she is and what she's capable of, so if she, or someone close to her, is threatened, then she reacts in a defensive manner." Kupo looked around as everyone digested this bit of information. "Well, I think I should get going now. The other moogles will want to hear this, Mognet will just be a buzz with our own speculations, so talk to any moogles you run into, we may have more information." With that he hopped to the window and flew out.
Zidane rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Great. So does anyone have any suggestions as to what we should do now?"
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I intend to find and kill Garland. I don't care what he says, I'm going to do it." Kuja stood up and helped Mira to her feet.
"You're going by yourself?" Zidane looked at Kuja like he was nuts. "You can't go like that, why don't we work together, we're a lot stronger that way." Garnet was glaring at Zidane's back, obviously not liking the idea of trusting someone who was once their greatest enemy. So what if he and Zidane could be considered brothers.
Kuja smiled thinly. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't think I'd exactly be welcomed with open arms." He looked pointedly at the queen, then at Steiner who was fingering his sword, then at the little summoner who hadn't stopped glaring at him the whole time and was starting to get a cramp in her face. He looked back at Zidane. "We can take care of ourselves, no need to worry about that." He turned and walked out of the room, Mira following after an apologetic shrug and wave.
"We can't just let them leave like that!" Zidane went to follow, but Garnet caught his arm.
"We can't make them stay either." She looked up into his eyes, trying hard not to let her distaste for Kuja show through. "There is a lot of tension between us, and while you may be able to forgive Kuja for his past actions, it's harder for some of us. Please understand?" Zidane sighed in defeat.
"He has changed, you know." Zidane shook his head and turned back to his friends. "So! What are our plans?" Everyone shook their heads. Same old Zidane.
"Where will we go?" Mira and Kuja were getting a ride on an airship back towards Conde Petie, the royal wedding having been postponed for the time being.
"'We' are not going anywhere. You are going home and I am going to deal with Garland." Kuja sat down, waiting patiently for Mira's outburst. He was a bit confused when she calmly sat down opposite him and folded her hands in her lap. "You have no problems with this?"
"Of course I do. You are not going without me." She held up her hand before he could say anything. "Look at it this way, how are you going to make sure I stay at home? I'm just going to follow you as soon as you turn your back. Now isn't it easier to take me along than to keep looking over your shoulder waiting to see if I get skewered by some random monster?" She smiled at him triumphantly.
"But…I…Damn!" Kuja humphed and rested his chin in his hand. "So, where do you think we should start looking?"
"Where else? Where did most of the trouble stem from?" Mira looked out the window, a large shape just silhouetted against a thundercloud in the distance.
"The Iifa Tree."
Instead of heading towards Madain Sari, Kuja and Mira decided to go to the Black Mage Village and see what sort of weapons they could get Mira. Kuja tried talking her out of coming the whole trip to the forest, but nothing worked and he finally gave up, actually kind of happy to have the company. Mira asked a few million questions everyday, seeing as she'd never really been away from the little house. Every new plant they came across she had to look at and ask all of its properties and every animal they met she had to talk to for a few minutes. While the delays partially irritated Kuja, another part of him was glad it was taking so long. The more time it took them to get to the tree, the more time he had to figure out a way to keep her away from Garland. While his erstwhile creator and master had seemed afraid of her enough to leave, he didn't want to take the chance on losing her.
"Hey Kuja? Which way do we go?" They had reached the entrance to the forest, and Mira was staring down the paths.
"Which way does the sign say there are no more owls?" Mira read the sign and pointed, then hurried to catch up as Kuja walked that direction. They did this at every intersection and soon found themselves at the village. Many of the mages ran off to hide when they saw Kuja, but some, who had been at Alexandria, just kept a close eye on him. The former Terrans all looked at him and Mira curiously, but none of them approached the couple. Ignoring the stares, Kuja and Mira went to the weapons shop, hoping they would find something for Mira.
"Yes, can I help y-ahhh!" The shopkeeper hid behind the counter in terror. Kuja sighed, fearing it was going to be a very long day.
Mira walked around the counter and sat on the floor next to the terrified mage. "You don't need to worry. Kuja is a nice man now. We just came here to buy me something so that we can go and fight the really mean guy named Garland. No one is going to hurt you." The mage looked up at her and Mira smiled.
"You won't destroy my shop?" Mira shook her head. "You'll pay for your weapons?" Mira laughed pleasantly.
"Of course we will! We're not thieves or any other type of not nice person." She helped the mage to his feet, and dusted off his coat a bit. He was one of the few remaining original black mages, no 239. Many of the residents expected him and the few others to stop soon, but they didn't say anything.
"Well then, what can I get for you?" He showed them all the weapons he had in stock, which was fairly impressive. Kuja was looking at the High Mage Staff when Mikoto walked in. Kuja turned toward the only other Genome that had been given a soul willingly from Garland. He knew she was supposed to replace Zidane, just as Zidane was supposed to replace him, but the enmity he had always felt for Zidane was absent for her. She had been more of a puppet than either of them had been, even having her own soul.
"I am surprised to see you Kuja. We all thought you were dead, and many of us here couldn't believe it when we were told you had appeared in Alexandria. How did you survive?" She walked over to look at the weapons.
Kuja pointed at Mira, who was looking at Mikoto with open curiosity. "She saved my life." Mikoto turned and looked at Mira, who smiled and waved.
"How exactly did she accomplish this?" Mikoto walked up to Mira and walked around her, not knowing quite what to make of this woman whom Kuja obviously liked and seemed to be traveling with.
"It's a long explanation. Maybe I'll tell you someday. For now, we need to be hurrying up. If Garland has any time to do what he wants, we won't be able to stop him." Kuja turned back to the weapons and tossed Mira a High Mage Staff. She caught it with one hand and flipped it around the right way in the same heartbeat. Everyone starred at her for a moment in shock. "Guess we found a weapon for you." Kuja turned back to no 239 and took out his money.
"Why are you so surprised by this display? Haven't you ever handled a weapon?" Mikoto had turned to Mira.
"Well, you see, I don't remember. So if I have any skill, we'll just have to wait and see in a fight."
"No we won't. On the way to the Iifa Tree, I'll see what sort of skills you've got." Kuja finished paying and turned back to the women. "We should get going, unless I could convince you to stay here with Mikoto?" Mira gave him a sour look and leaned on her new staff. "Guess not. Then lets get going, okay?" He turned to Mikoto. "Take care of yourself Mikoto." He inclined his head slightly as he walked out.
"And you as well, Kuja." She smiled at Mira as she left. "Good luck to both of you."
The trip to Madain Sari took less time than Kuja had thought it would. Mira was so absorbed in learning (or relearning, as it seemed she already knew how to use the staff) that she ignored most other things on the way. Her adeptude with the staff reassured Kuja and he found himself having fewer bad dreams involving her insides being everywhere on the outside. They had kept an eye out in the skies for any airships belonging to Alexandria, but so far had seen no sign of Zidane and the others. For the most part they just shrugged it off and figured that it meant they were exploring other places for Garland. That, or organizing an attack.
Right now they were outside the decimated city of both Garnet and Eiko's birth. The moogles ran the place, and the bounty hunter Lani lived in Eiko's old residence. Mira was looking down the street, a puzzled look on her face.
"What's wrong? Something there?" Kuja came to stand next to her, but didn't see anything out of place.
"This place is very strange. I keep hearing things, like people are talking, but I can't quite make it out." She shook her head suddenly and smiled at him. "I don't suppose it really matters. Maybe it's just the wind in the buildings or something."
"Or maybe you've finally gone nuts." She mock shoved him away from her, but his tail grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Something wrong?" He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips, before walking into the town, Mira following behind him.
"I'm not so sure I'm the nuts one, Mr. Let's-Not-Get-Help-From-Anyone. Honestly, Zidane said we should work together, and what if he's right?"
"You saw how they feel about me. It wouldn't work. In the long run, we'd only manage to annoy one another and then Garland probably would win. This way we're attacking him from two fronts, and if one of us doesn't succeed, at least they can slow him down enough for the other to beat him." Kuja looked around the decimated city. The moogles didn't seem to be anywhere about, but they probably saw them coming and may have hidden, hoping he and Mira would just leave peacefully. 'No need to disappoint them, I suppose.'
"I suppose you may be right." Mira looked around with him, her eyes lighting on the Eidolon Wall. "What's that?"
"That's the Eidolon Wall. There are pictures of many of the summoned creatures these people could call for help." He smiled at the open curiosity in her eyes. "You want to see it?"
"Oh could I?" She looked so delighted that he couldn't help but laugh. 'And if the moogles have a problem with it, they can take it up with me.' He started walking toward the wall with her when they heard a noise off to the right. Lani came around the corner, her large ax in her hands, but in a defensive, not threatening gesture.
"Why are you here Kuja? I thought I heard you were dead." Lani kept a distance between them and leaned against a wall.
"We're just passing through and my companion here wanted to see the Wall. You don't have a problem with that, do you?" Kuja crossed his arms over his chest.
"We don't mean any harm. I just really want to look at it. We'll leave right afterwards, I promise." Mira smiled sweetly, hoping they wouldn't have to fight this woman. She seemed nice, but Mira thought she seemed kind of nervous, like she was hiding something.
"The girl can go and see the wall." Lani motioned for Mira to go along, then turned her attention back to Kuja. "I want to talk to you about some things, okay?" Not waiting for an answer she turned and began walking in the direction of Eiko's old home.
"I can go then, Kuja?" Mira looked pleadingly at Kuja, biting her lower lip.
He really had to get better at saying no to her. "I suppose. Just watch your back. Something doesn't quite feel right here."
Mira was already walking toward the Wall swiftly. "Yes, I'll be careful. You too, okay?"
Kuja shook his head and followed where Lani had gone. In the house he still didn't find any moogles, but Lani was sitting at the table with a cup of tea in her hands. He sat down opposite of her and leaned back, waiting her out. She finally put the cup down and got up to pace a bit.
"So tell me, who's the girl?" She sat back down and poured herself more tea, offering some to Kuja, who refused.
"Someone I met after I was 'supposedly' dead. She saved my life." It seemed to be getting a lot easier to explain that to people.
"So you're traveling with her now? She powerful or something?" Lani took another sip of her tea.
Kuja checked an annoyed sigh. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes she is. Though that isn't why she's with me. I couldn't get her to stay at home, so instead of having her following me she's traveling with me so I can keep an eye on her."
Lani blinked a few times. "At home? You mean you live with her?"
Kuja smiled thinly at her. "Yes. And sleep with her too. You could think of her as my wife, if you'd like." He stopped smiling at Lani's horrified look. "What, is it so unbelievable I fell in love with someone?"
"No! No, that's not it!" Kuja narrowed his eyes at her. Lani suddenly jumped up and grabbed her ax, but instead of attacking Kuja she ran out the door. Kuja followed behind, catching up with her in no time. They were running toward the eidolon Wall.
"What's going on Lani!" Kuja was running a little a head of her.
"He told me he'd kill all the moogles if I didn't separate you two. He said you were using the girl! I'm sorry." Kuja ignored that and ran faster, reaching the entrance to the Wall before her and ran in. Mira was no where in sight, but above them was the tail end of Garland's ship.
"Garland dammit! Come back here!" Kuja powered up a meteor but Lani hit him on the head, breaking his concentration.
"If she's on board than you could kill her! Really! You shou-ulp!" Her voice was cut off by Kuja grabbing her around the throat and lifting her off the ground. The look in his eyes was pure murder, worse than when he had been the bad guy.
"I should kill you for this. I should crush every bone in your body!" He continued to squeeze her throat, when he was suddenly knocked backwards into one of the pillars near the Wall. The breath was knocked from his body and he saw Zidane, Garnet, Eiko, and Vivi run in. The blast had obviously come from the black mage.
"I told you not to trust him!" Eiko was standing away from him, pointing her finger at him. "He probably already killed Miraina!"
"No." Lani was coughing, and her voice was barely audible. "He didn't. I sold her to that creepy metal guy. He said he would kill the moogles if I didn't separate her from Kuja." She looked away from all of them. "I'm sorry I believed him."
"No kidding!" Kuja stood up; most of his rage gone after having some sense slammed into him. "And where are the moogles now, anyway? You are aware of the fact that he likely killed them anyway."
"He couldn't have!" Eiko ran out of the Wall area and began calling for the moogles. None came, and she ran off, Garnet following her.
"So Garland has Mira?" Zidane came over to Kuja, who was watching the skies where Garland's ship had gone. He'd headed toward the Iifa Tree.
"Yes. Though I don't know what he wants with her. He may simply kill her." Kuja kept his voice carefully controlled, but his hands were clenched into tight fists and his tail was moving back and forth in an agitated manner.
"You wanna come with us then?" Kuja turned to look at Zidane. "If only until we get her back for ya. Then you can go off on your own if you like." Zidane smiled reassuringly.
"Alright." Kuja walked toward the exit, his thoughts doing circles in his head. "Just keep the little summoners off my back."
Vivi stepped out of Kuja's way, then fixed his hat and followed behind him. Zidane shook his head and sighed. "This is going to be interesting." He heard a scream and ran in its direction, seeing Kuja and Vivi ahead of him already on their way.
It was Eiko and Garnet. Eiko was crying hysterically, Garnet crying quieter next to her, trying to comfort the younger girl. Lani wasn't far from them, hitting her ax on the rocks. They sat near a small outcropping, some flies buzzing nearby.
"What happened." Zidane looked at the two of them, unsure of what to do.
"Their dead, all of them. Garland killed all the moogles of Madain Sari." Garnet choked out. Kuja walked over to the outcropping and sucked in his breath sharply.
"I'd suggest we get going and deal with this sicko as soon as possible." He turned from whatever gruesome sight was there and looked at Zidane.
Zidane didn't want to see what could make Kuja ill, and turned towards Lani. "You want to come with us?"
Lani stopped hitting the rock (what was left of it). "No, I'll stay here and bury them. It's the least I can do."
"Then lets get going everyone. We'll go to the Iifa Tree and kill Garland, this time making sure he's really dead."