Death in the air,
strapped in the electric chair,
this can't be happening to me.
Who made you God to say,
'I'll take your life away from you'?—
"Ride the Lightning"—Metallica
Mother Terra
Chapter XIII
Whenever Zidane reopened his eyes he found himself in irons—his arms, legs, and neck were all in chains. To his right, Zidane heard someone address Nuri.
"I have some bad news to tell you."
"What's that?"
"The queen and the prince have escaped."
"What! How in the hell did that happen! That was Quillan's responsibility!"
"Yes, it was on his watch, and it was him who told me. He said that he was too scared to face you."
Nuri sighed. "Fine, what did he tell you?"
"He told me that the queen knocked on the door, and that when he opened it a man was with her and the prince."
"A man?"
"Yes, a man in long-flowing white robes with a long white beard. Quillan told me that power flowed through his body—like it was the power of a god. He also told me it was his power that caused him to faint."
"…When he woke up did he examine Garnet's cell?"
"Yes."
"Was Garnet's collar in there?"
"…I think so."
"Then that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"The god Quillan saw was an eidolon…I don't know which one it was, but it doesn't really matter…Nor does it matter that we don't have the queen or the prince in our possession…I need to be alone for a while. Please leave me, Zagger."
"Yes, Nuri."
After Zidane heard a door shut he heard Nuri walk over to him.
Zidane greeted Nuri with a smirk.
Nuri was stunned by the gesture. "You're awake!"
"Yes, and I heard everything; and I think that it does matter that you no longer have Dagger and Hunter in your possession. Do you think I would've come all this way if it weren't for them! Your whole purpose was to use them to convince me to help you restore Terra. And now that's gone. You have nothing."
Nuri was silent for a moment, but then he smiled. "It doesn't matter."
Zidane was stunned.
"The only reason why I kidnapped Garnet and Hunter was so I could get you to come here. And now that I've accomplished that it doesn't matter whether or not I have them."
"And somehow you think my attitude'll change over Terra?"
Nuri smirked. "It'll change very soon."
"It won't, but that doesn't really matter; my friends're coming soon."
Nuri continued smirked. "Your friends have abandoned you. I watched them flee in terror from an army of genomes."
"…They'll come back."
"What makes you think so?"
Zidane smiled. "They're my friends…But even if they don't come back, I can live with that. So long as Dagger and Hunter are all right."
"…Why don't you want to help in the resurrection of Terra?"
Zidane shot Nuri a look. "Do I have to explain that to you again!"
Nuri smiled. "Yes. Yes, you do."
Zidane glared. "Fine! It's because Gaia's my home, and what you're trying to do is to destroy the home of my friends and family."
Nuri shook his head and began to pace. "I have no intention of destroying the home of your friends and family. I simply want to merge Terra with it."
"Just like a cancer in someone's body."
Nuri stopped, and presented Zidane with cold stare. "How dare you call it that!" But then he sighed. "Look…no, I'm going about this the wrong way."
Nuri left, and came back with what appeared to be a projector. "I have something that I want you to see."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes, you have to!"
The projector displayed a world—a world in bright blue, with flowing streams, and vegetation.
"The world you just saw is Terra from 2000 years ago. Wasn't it beautiful?"
"…I'd be a liar if I said it wasn't beautiful. But what I don't understand is, if the waters flowed like that, why don't they flow like that anymore?"
"…I don't know…I assume climate change. The fact that the waters no longer flowed like that affected our vegetation—along with our meats."
"…What damage did Kuja do to the interior?"
"Nothing. All Kuja did was destroy Terra's crust, with the exception of this island…But it looks like my purpose in showing you all of this has succeed."
"Huh?"
"I wanted you to think for a moment, and I've accomplished that. I wanted you to think about what you were refusing to help. You have seen what Terra used to look like. And you, yourself, have stated that you thought Terra was once beautiful. Don't you want to help Terra relive its former glory?"
"…No."
"What!"
"Terra was once a beautiful planet—I admit that—but its days're gone. Gaia is now the place to live."
Nuri crossed his arms; and, again, turned his back to pace. But eventually he stopped and turned back. "Would you feel the same way if the planets' roles were reversed?"
"…What do you mean?"
"How would you feel if Gaia was in the position that Terra's now in? Would you save your home planet by merging it with another?"
"…I understand your position, Nuri…It just so happens that you and I are on the opposite side of the spectrum."
Again—for a moment—Nuri was silent, but then he smirked. "We are for now."
"What do you mean?"
Nuri did not answer. Instead, he pushed a button. A jolt of electricity entered Zidane's body.
Zidane recoiled.
Nuri smiled. "I can push this button all I want to…And I can increase the voltage." Nuri pushed the button again, but this time with extra voltage.
Zidane screamed even louder.
Nuri chuckled. "So now, do you want to help restore Terra?"
Zidane gasped. "No."
Nuri sneered. "Fine!" He increased the electricity—and again—Zidane screamed. And with each scream Nuri continued to chuckle and push the button. "Now, Zidane! Now do you want to help restore Terra!"
Zidane did not respond.
Nuri smirked. "Looks like he passed out…Fine, whenever he wakes up I'll give him another round of torture. He'll have no choice but to help me."
