Edonil: This update isn't late! Your calendar is early! I swear it is! -crickets chirping- Ok, um... Yeah, this is a tad late, I guess. But just think! You only have to wait a few days until the next update!

Disclaimer:

There was a rpg that was cool.
And the creators were Square Soft/Enix who'll
Sue me unless
I thoroughly express
That I don't own FFIX and now I'll stop this pathetic attempt at an limerick and stop acting like a fool.

-more crickets chirping-

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Ancient Tree of Life

Chapter Seven

"And so the good queen Avylonn, who was known for her gothic beauty, did ascend the throne, but her reign was to be short-lived, for a member of her family did go insane..."

"Hm-hm!" Kuja looked up from his book.

"Oh! My Lady General!" He swept a grandiloquent bow. Beatrix snorted.

"Don't bother. Your flattery won't work on me." Smiling slightly, Kuja sat back down.

"Please, pull up a chair," he said courteously.

"I prefer to stand."

"Fair enough. I suppose you are much more... overbearing if you stand. But please, tell me Beatrix, can I assist you in any way?"

"I'm going to be blunt. I don't trust you. I wasn't sure of you before everything happened, and I sure as all heck don't have a very high opinion of you now. Sure, you might have convinced Queen Garnet that you're a fine young gentleman who thoroughly regrets his past, but you've yet to convince me." She paused.

"Yes...?"

"I've been watching you. You probably know that. You might be a heartless murdering bastard, but you aren't an idiot. And you're being very clever this time. You don't give a damn about Queen Garnet or Zidane, do you? You're just using her to further your own goals. And I'm guess that, knowing you, those goals are petty things like staying fed and watered and living in luxury."

Oh. Well, then...

"And, er... What are you getting at?" Kuja asked carefully.

"I want you to stop, obviously. But that won't happen. Firstly, because nothing I can say will change your mind. Secondly, because nothing I say will convince her Majesty at the moment. Thirdly, because, quite frankly, if you leave, Queen Garnet will be an emotional wreck. So. I can't boot you out. But I want to know how right I am, and why I shouldn't just let the Queen be an emotion wreck."

This was... not going well.

"Ah... I see," Kuja said finally. "Um... Well, I've never claimed that you are not a most intelligent and capable young woman-"

"Get to the point."

"Right. The point. Um... I am just... er... That is to say, I was going to... uh..." Beatrix snorted.

"You aren't going to tell me, are you? I suppose you wouldn't. But it was worth a shot. I'll be seeing you, then. Oh, and for future reference, seeing as I'm now thoroughly convinced I was at least partially right, I'll be watching you all the harder-"

"I... Alright, you were correct. Partially. There. Are you happy?"

"Partially? On which point was I incorrect?" Damn the woman for being so... persuasive.

"Er... The part where you said that I 'don't give a damn about Queen Garnet or Zidane'. I... I really did want to see Zidane again, and I'm really quite fond of her Majesty..."

Beatrix laughed. And being the warrior-type, it wasn't a soft court giggle, either. Kuja was rather affronted.

"What is so amusing!"

"You! Ah, Kuja, you've really done it this time! That must have been a blow to your perfectly-constructed plan, falling in love! Oh, this is classic..."

"I see. Well, if you know everything that you want to know, perhaps I'll be going now." Beatrix was now leaning against a wobbling bookshelf, tears streaming down her face. Quite insulted, Kuja grabbed his book and went to find somewhere else to sit. Luckily for him, there was a comfortable looking chair the next aisle over. He sat down to read, pretending he couldn't hear the General.

"Ha ha ha! That's... Oh my gosh, when I tell... Kuja... Heh heh heh..." Beatrix sounded like she was calming down. "I can't believe... Oh!" She was laughing at him again.

"Oh!" Kuja heard a creak. He looked up to see the bookshelf Beatrix had been leaning again toppling over. In his direction. Kuja had just enough time to think "Not this!" before-