Ripitupgenki: YOU SO NICE! -gives a cookie-

Kendo: You can't expect me to get them perfect, can ya? If you don't like it, don't read it.

Kalmekalica: YOU'VE RETURNED! -does a majorly awesome happy GIR style monkey dance- Pshhhh I really don't worry all that much about what reviews say, unless it's nice, or it will help the story in the future.

Rushi-chan: ……………………….uh-duh…that's what the entire story is about….silly Rushi-chan.

A/N: YO! Sorry it's taken so long…having issues with writers block and overworking myself with three stories at once…-sigh- I'm such an idiot.

Enough dwelling on the past. CONTINUATION!…ness…Yeah, I'm continuing the story, okay?

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Kuja said nothing on the entire trip back to Alexandria unless spoken to. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. As we neared the castle, I ventured to talk to him. He was sitting in his chamber staring out the window as he'd been doing for the past two hours.

"H-Hey, Kuja…ummm…Mind if I come in?"

I had broken my vow of silence, much to Steiner's relief. It just seemed pointless now…He would probably be laughing at me right now…

He looked at me for a moment as if trying to find a catch, then he turned back to the window, "Do as you wish. I won't stop you."

I walked in and pulled aside an extra chair.

"When I saved you…" I started as I sat down, "You said you wanted to die…why?"

His eyes never left the window as he responded, "Saved me? From what? From the horrors of death? Tell me, if a normal person killed as many as I have, how would they feel?"

"Well…sorry?"

"Not quite." He said as his eye scanned the endless blue sky, "They would feel…something that can't really be explained. Although, as I was free of such emotions before, I can't say whether it has a name or not."

"Remorse maybe?…What do you mean you were free of those emotions before?"

"You don't understand what a genome is, do you?"

I stared at him. What was he talking about?

He sighed, "We were all created to do as we were told. Emotions would get in the way of our judgment…or lack of it. Do you see? I was a mistake. I had free will, something no other genome had before me. For me, it was a curse. It meant I was damned to be looked down upon. I was the first failure to survive, and, as such, Garland hated me. The mindless genomes even shunned me. I despised Terra and its inhabitants with all my heart, if you can believe I have one. Then, Garland made Zidane similar to me, though with a few modifications. The blonde hair was one of these. He was made to look the same as the others and yet, remain different. We were so alike, but I was the one Garland hated. It didn't make sense to me. Am I wrong in assuming that people other than myself would have felt jealousy toward him as well?"

I turned away from Kuja. Was this…pity I felt for him? The man killed my mother…destroyed my city…took countless lives…and here I was…pitying him…

"A-And what did you expect to gain from death?" I asked calmly.

"Forgiveness? An end to the pain of existence? Honestly, I don't know. It just felt like death was the best thing for one like me…"

"And what about Zidane?" I yelled, "Your brother risked his life to save yours, and you would just throw it away? And now he's…he's.."

I crumpled to the floor crying. How could he take the chance Zidane gave him so lightly?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Kuja's gray-blue eyes staring into mine. They were filled with such deep sadness…such pain and misery…I…

"Your Highness. We've arrived." said Beatrix as she gave Kuja a sharp stare.

I wiped my eyes and nodded. I tried to look dignified through my tears. Whether it worked or not, I wasn't sure.

Kuja stared at the castle, then me, "Why bring me here?"

"Because," I replied, "It's your home too from now on."

"Do you really think this country will welcome me?"

"No. But it's not their decision, is it? Just stay in the castle for a while and you'll be fine."

"What about Zidane?"

I paused, "…We'll find him…but for now….you need to rest……I don't think Zidane would like it if you died, so…we'll search for him once you've fully healed."

"But that could take months."

I pretended not to hear, "Come, I'll show you to your room. I have work to do, so I'll be in my room if you need anything."

That was a lie. Sure, I had a ton of work, but I couldn't focus on that sort of thing right now. I hated to wait as long as it would most likely take for Kuja's wounds to heal, but what other option did I have?

I looked silently at the song I'd been working on. Who was I kidding? This didn't ease my pain at all…I still felt it…that feeling of anguish and regret…

Zidane…please…kidnap me once more!

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A/N: Sorry about the whole OMG SHORTNESS thing…but I really wanted to get a chapter out and stretching this one out any more would ruin it….and you probably don't care about my excuses…-runs from angry readers- AHHHHH! DON'T KILL MEEEEEEEE!

Yeah…so please review anyways. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRYYYYYY! -collapses- So…rry…-dies from saying sorry too much-