Edonil: I really need a life. Or at least a little more free time. Luckily, now that the play I was in is over, I have that free time. Theoretically, updates should resume regularly. Except for next week, when I'm going skiing- the next update will be next Monday.

Idea to Increase Updates: If I got more than one review per chapter, I might update more! As far as I know, at the moment, only one person is reading this. I'll still try to update, but if I had incentive...

Disclaimer: I own a few unique ideas and nothing else.

Advertisement: Share your creative works! Chat! Debate! Goof around! Enter Challenges! The more members on my forum, the better!

Iifa: Ancient Tree of Life

Chapter Eight

Kuja had just enough time to think "Not this!" before-

0o0o0

First, Kuja noticed that his head hurt. A lot. Drat. However, the pain in his skull was a pretty good indicator of whether or not Kuja was currently living. Not even being tortured in the deepest recesses of Hell would induce a headache to a dead person, right?

Then Kuja became aware of his other four senses. Sight: red, medium light. Why...? Oh, right. There was a light shining at his eyes, which were closed. Taste: not good. He needed to brush his teeth. Smell: sterile, hospital-like. He was probably in some sort of hospital. Hearing: people talking.

"Yes, I know, it really is quite remarkable," someone was saying. "I really never expected anything like this. But I suppose he is not really a human, and so it stands to reason that he is somewhat impervious to harm."

"But... He was worried that he would die, before..." someone else protested. The someone else sounded like Dagger. "How could he not be...?"

"Ah, yes... I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to run some more tests, I think. Unless he protests, of course, but I see no reason for him to do so."

"What is happening?" Kuja asked, opening his eyes. "My head is aching..."

"Kuja! You are alright!" Kuja winced as he was glomped by his girlfriend. "I mean... Of course, I knew Doctor Tot said you were alright, but I was so worried... Oh, yes, Kuja, this is Doctor Tot. He healed... He was going to heal you."

"But he did not?" Dagger nodded.

"Um... Yes. Maybe you'd better explain, Doctor Tot." The doctor nodded.

"Yes, I suppose I had better. And perhaps Master Kuja could answer some of my questions." Kuja nodded. "You see, when you were in the library, a bookshelf fell on you. You were unconscious- we assumed that you had a concussion. However, after we got you out and brought you here, I realized that you were actually quite alright, apart from being unconscious. No concussion, no broken bones, not so much as a bruise. I assumed that you were, ah, created in a way so as to minimize harm..." Kuja shook his head.

"No. Zidane was, I believe, but for the most part, I was not. I was only the prototype. Actually, at the moment, I believe I should be more susceptible to injury than most people; I should be dead soon, really. My body is supposed to just... give out at some point."

"Hmm... Perhaps your creator was wrong?" Kuja shrugged.

"I suppose it is possible. But I have a terrible headache. Do you know why?"

"No. It could be related to healing at an increased speed- I'll run a few tests, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all." Doctor Tot busied himself with taking Kuja's blood while Dagger sat down on the edge of Kuja's bed.

"So you're alright? You still look a bit pale..." she said worriedly. Kuja raised an eyebrow.

"I just had a bookshelf fall on me. Of course I'm pale! Besides, I'm always pale. It's part of being a genome..."

0o0o0

Drat Garland! Kuja hated his creator with a passion. Ever since he was first created, Kuja had despised the man who made him. Garland was so full of himself, sure that nothing could stop his carefully constructed plans, that no one was smarter than he... And he was right, damn it! Kuja had seen what Garland was doing, creating a new and improved version of Kuja, and tried to mimic Garland's knowledge. Kuja's creations had not been people or genomes, however; they had been little lumps of flesh that wriggled. Curse Garland!

But then Garland had seen Kuja's lumps, and rather than grow angry, he had laughed. It wasn't a kind, amused laugh. It was a condescending laugh, a laugh that made Kuja feel pathetic and worthless. And then Garland had taken Kuja's lumps and thrown them into the river, where they writhed forevermore, entertaining genomes and constantly reminding Kuja of his failure. Oh, how Kuja had loathed Garland.

But Kuja, while not as knowledgeable as Garland, still had a keen mind, and he had set to the task a different way. How many years had he spent filching Garland's books? Then Kuja had stumbled across the best book of all. Better still, it was one that Garland had assigned Kuja to read. It was a magic book, a book on projecting one's mind. Kuja had caught on quickly, helped along the way by the other genomes' weak and unshielded minds.

Kuja soon had the power to enter Garland's mind for brief minutes. It had to be done carefully, lest Garland discover what Kuja was doing. But it had been worth it. Kuja learned what he wanted to know. He soon was quite capable of creating genomes. His first true genomes were ugly things, with their blackened, cracking skin barely hanging to their bones and their bodies entirely out of proportion. Their only source of beauty was their luminous golden eyes.

Kuja had been trying to find out how to change their appearance when Garland had caught him.

Kuja had seen Garland frustrated. Kuja had seen Garland annoyed. But Kuja had never truly seen Garland angry before.

Garland threw a fit. He smashed all of Kuja's possessions. He locked Kuja up, and replaced his test-genome with Kuja, trying to find a way to create his new 'Angel of Death'. It was then that Garland first had the idea to include animal DNA in the genetic mix. It was then that Kuja acquired his avian features.

But Garland needed his current Angel of Death to wreak havoc on the twin world of Gaia. Kuja was allowed to go, on the condition that he obeyed Garland's will and return when summoned. Kuja agreed. Kuja left. He travelled the width and breadth of Gaia, learning its ways.

But it was hard, so hard, for a seven year old boy with feathers for hair and milk-white skin to instil fear and chaos into the Gaians. He was soon recalled. And it was then that Kuja met his replacement.

If Kuja loathed Garland, he was stricken near dead with jealously for this new Angel. No, he would not play second-best to this pathetic squalling child! Kuja had kidnapped the Second Angel and taken him to Gaia. Again, Garland was furious. But he did not know where his better Angel was.

So Garland tried to reason with Kuja. It had not worked. In a fit of pique, Garland revealed to Kuja that physically, he was no different than any other genome. He was intelligent only because Garland had gifted Kuja with a soul, which Garland could take back if he so chose. That frightened Kuja. He did not want to be a mindless, soulless drown like his pitiful creations. He went back to Gaia, searching for the Second Angel, hoping to appease Garland. Eventually, he gave up. The Second Angel was lost.

Kuja grew older, and returned to creating chaos on Gaia. He hoodwinked the recently widowed Queen Brahne of Alexandria. Oh, how he had enjoyed playing that game. He had loved every moment of it, from the carefully worded suggested to the idle moments spent locked away in her libraries.

Imagine his surprise upon finding his long lost 'brother'! And fighting against him, no less! Surely this was a gift from the heavens; the Second Angel was coming straight to Kuja! All had seemed to be going according to plan.

But then it occurred to Kuja that there was no reason for him to be second-best. Why tell Garland about the Second Angel? Why not use the Second Angel's powers himself? Kuja was ambitious, yes, but he was also intelligent. Yes, it did not take much effort for Kuja to be in a very favourable position.

But then there was that dratted moogle who Tranced, and Kuja realized where the true power was! Kuja had found a way to Trance himself as soon as he could. But just when he thought victory was his, Garland said those fated words...

"There's a limit on your life... You'll be dead soon..."

If Garland had never said those words... Curse the man a thousand times over! Kuja was going to die! Just as his creations died... Just as humans died...

Nothing, not regret, not a girlfriend, nothing could make Kuja stop fearing death.

That's what he thought, anyway.