"You see," Kuja said as he stepped into the room behind his quarters, "I’ve been toying with the idea of creation for a more…pacified purpose. As you all can no doubt see."
The room was huge. A workshop of sorts, filled with what looked like dolls; hung on the walls and lying on work tables in silence. There were all sorts, too; little girls and boys, full grown people, different races, and even some dolls made in caricature of monsters. Vivi wandered through the room in absolute awe.
"Y-you made all these?" the little mage asked absently, refusing to take his eyes from a doll that looked like a Dwarf.
Kuja smiled. "That I did, my Vivi. I had to find something to occupy my time, since the people on the surface would lynch me if they saw me alive. I hope to one day...give one of these little dolls life."
The girls were staring at him appraisingly.
"For the correct purposes this time, of course," Kuja corrected. "And by some method that they won’t cease to live after a mere year or two’s existence.
"Unfortunately," he continued, lifting the hands of a child-doll and waving them about playfully, "I have not found the means to do so as of yet. You all know that the secret of the black mages’ existence was the Mist. Now the souls trapped in the mist are free, and there is no fodder on which the magic I once used may feed."
Freya had put away her lance, but was eyeing Kuja. She’d approached a doll made after a Cleyran, and was almost-almost smiling at the Genome’s workmanship.
"So what have you been doing about it?" she asked. "Surely you’ve not given up."
Kuja shook his head; his silver hair whisked this way and that.
"No, Freya, I haven’t. I’ve had help."
That was the very thing Dagger was waiting for. She approached Kuja swiftly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Zidane, right? He’s been helping you? It must be him!"
"Calm down, little jewel," Kuja replied. "I was getting to that. There is still much to tell you."
The girls took seats at various locations in the room. Vivi sat Indian-style on the floor in front of Kuja.
"So spill it, girly-man," Eiko snapped, and was met by a venomous look from Kuja.
"As you wish. But I warn you, it may be a long story. Be sure you’re all comfortable."
He smiled and sat himself, on the floor across from Vivi. The tiny mage actually…inched closer to Kuja. Dagger’s eyes widened a bit, but she immediately tried to hide the expression.
"Well I certainly payed for my sins," Kuja began.
"I was here, in this place, from the first day. Zidane brought me here knowing the isolation would keep me safe and allow me to heal more quickly. Not to mention the magic in this palace of sand comforts me beyond my expectations. We remained here, he and I, for a while talking of things. Zidane is certainly more intelligent and sympathetic than he’s given credit for.
"One day I had gone to the surface…simply to feel the sun on my face for a while, you know. And I’d gathered some wood to be used for raw materials in various hobbies of mine. I simply began carving one day, and I did not allow myself to stop. It was as if a spell had come over me, in fact.
"When I’d finished, there sat a doll not unlike a little black mage. He looked much like you, my Vivi. I was so proud of my new creation…
"And more followed. As you can see. Well with Zidane gone after food and supplies, it became quite lonely here. And I wanted to catch up on my magical aptitude anyway, so I wanted to try an experiment."
Freya shifted herself in her seat, on a stool in the far corner of the workshop. "You wanted to animate these creations of yours, correct?"
"Correct," Kuja responded.
"I attempted many spells and chants, even a few of the forbidden magics of Terra. Nothing. So it was then I asked Zidane for a favor. I requested he go on a small journey to Daguerro or perhaps even Madain Sari for literature. The right book or tablet has to be out there somewhere. Containing a spell to instill life where none before existed…"
Dagger’s heart jumped through hoops in her chest. She’d found Zidane! Finally, after six months!
"So where is Zidane now?" she asked, eager to hear any answer.
Kuja simply shrugged.
"You don’t know?" Freya snapped.
"No, I don’t. He left here on another quest after he brought me some very important literature, and he hasn’t been back. That was over two months ago, and to be sure I am quite worried."
Vivi raised his hand, a cute gesture to gain attention.
"B-but if he brought you the lit-ra-ture you wanted, why’d he go back out?"
The rebel Genome smiled sweetly at Vivi…it still scared Dagger, no matter the true emotion behind it.
"Well, Vivi, I’ll tell you. Zidane brought me a spell to draw energy from the earth and form a new spirit. However, this spell only holds for about a two or three year period. Just like you and your friends. I am looking for a spell to instill in something a spirit with the life of a true human being. Sixty, seventy, eighty years of splendid life. I want my creation to feel the joy of growing old. And I wish the same for you and your black mage kin as well."
Dissatisfied noises came from all corners of the room. Zidane gone, for two months, and the only one who could say anything about it was in the dark?
"I don’t believe you," Eiko spat. "Maybe you slashed Zidane’s throat and dumped him in one of thse whirlpools to feed the Antlions. How can we trust you after everything you did before?"
The rebel Genome stared her down. That was his look of anger, as well everyone knew.
I may ask you the same question, little girl. How may I trust you? Am I to be certain that, when next my back is turned, I won’t be ripped to shreds by an oversized moogle?"
Eiko shrunk into herself.
"As I thought," Kuja said. "But back to the point of this little story hour.
"I must ask you all a favor now. And even if you do not believe me, I will still assure you that my intentions are pure. This matter is weighing on my mind, and I wish that weight to be lifted."
"Find Zidane," Dagger whispered.
"Yes, find Zidane. Bring him here, to me. Then we may go about saving Vivi and his kind, and creating new life. Will you all do this for me? Will you help me, and yourselves as well?"
all four of them exchanged furtive glances, held silent for a while. The air of the room thickened with every thought. Every impulse wavered in front of their faces like bait, ready to be snatched up and used. Brought to bear.
And then Vivi stood.
"Yeah, we’ll do it, Kuja."
The rebel Genome stood as well, smiling, and embraced Vivi. Yet another action which made Dagger wary.
"Oh, my Vivi, how you’ve grown!" Kuja said. "I am so happy to see you this way. You truly are my finest creation…my son."
Vivi’s arms flailed a moment…and went around Kuja’s waist to return the hug. The girls looked at each other in utter surprise.
Kuja came out of the embrace and looked, bright eyed, to the others.
"Well this is indeed a happy occasion. But I must insist you stay here the night. It is already getting dark outside, and we must discuss your course of action. Besides that, I must prepare for a surprise before you depart. Will you stay?"
the girls looked at Vivi. No use arguing the point any longer, Dagger reasoned. This is all up to him. She simply hoped he wouldn’t be hurt…
"O-okay," Vivi said.
"Splendid!" Kuja squealed. "I will arrange your accomidations."
There was a relative peace to the palace that Dagger hadn’t felt the first time around. Of course then, she was mute and thrown in a dirty prison cell to taunt Zidane into heading for Oielvert. But this time it was almost a comforting atosphere inside the palace. She was glad for that as well. If it felt the same as before, she would’ve gone mad by this point.
Still, she was having difficulty sleeping. Kuja’d set the party up with pallets of soft silk and cotton, scattered throughout the workshop, while he slept separate from them to make Freya and Eiko feel better. They’d stayed up fairly late, though, seeing as how Kuja and Vivi were having a long conversation outside. Vivi came in to join them after a while, and he seemd lighter than before. Like he wasn’t so depressed. Dagger never knew for sure with him, though. Vivi’d gotten quite good at putting on a face. Vivi’d simply come right in, wished everyone a good night, and climbed into bed beside Eiko.
Now all three of them were fast asleep, and Dagger was unable to join them.
She wondered if Kuja was still awake. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so threatening if she were to speak to him alone, she pondered.
Without another thought, Dagger got out of bed as silently as she could and crept out of the workshop toward Kuja’s chambers. She opened the door quietly, inch by inch, peeking out to see the Genome bent over his table in the corner. He was reading.
Dagger came out of the workshop and slinked over to stand behind Kuja. He shifted a bit in his seat.
"Hello, your highness."
Dagger nearly jumped. She collected herself, settling her heart to a manageable pace, and replied.
"Hello. I couldn’t sleep, and was wondering if you were awake."
"I always am."
Her brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"
Kuja sighed, and turned around to face Dagger. He looked worn. Not at all like he was when they’d come in. Dagger didn’t know how to take it but she felt…a little worried.
"What that means is I do not sleep much anymore, dear queen. The creation of those dolls has drained me of the capacity to rest, I believe. It has nearly become an obsession.
"That is what happened with Vivi and his brothers, I would speculate."
Dagger went to the grating in the center of the room and sat.
"You do know we cannot fully trust you, Kuja. During the wars, you destroyed Eiko and Freya’s hometowns, and nearly reduced my kingdom to ashes. But…"
He smiled. "But you feel as though you should trust me, no? Do not worry, little jewel, I feel the same way at this point. It is not an easy alliance we have here. One of convenience, I would wager. But I assure you, the words I spoke to you and the others earlier were my defensive side. Well, except Freya. She gets up my back."
Dagger stared at her hands, a habit she was going to have to break.
"But I can tell…if my senses do not deceive me…that you actually, in some form, love Vivi."
"Of course I do," he replied. "I created him from scratch. From nothing. He is a part of me, just as much as I am a part of him. It was simply fate that we ended up on opposite sides of the playing field. Just as with Zidane and myself. Even you, Garnet."
That one shocked her. She jerked her head up, her eyes lost focus.
"So…this is how you feel now? Tell me, Kuja. Did this epiphany come to you as you lay among the Iifa Tree’s leaves? Or when Zidane came to rescue you?"
Kuja smiled bitterly at the ground. He’d never been asked that question before, apparently. Even by Zidane…
"My revalation came…when I fell from the light of the Crystal, Garnet. I was witness to your fight with Necron. I saw the fervor with which you all threw yourselves at him, as if he could actually truly die. That caused me to change, so drastically that I felt I would suffer from it.
"Truly, I suppose I have. The only people who accept me as I am now are Zidane and my Vivi."
He shrugged. "Of course, what else would I expect from the people of a planet I tried to destroy."
Dagger felt a twinge of pain. She was so swift to judge…
"I apologize, Kuja. Turly, I never meant to hurt you if you didn’t deserve it. I smply walked in here with the fimr belief that you did."
"I just said I did," he answered.
"No, Kuja, you don’t. no one deserves more pain than life deals them on it’s own. And…I may never fully trust you, but I know how you feel for Vivi because I see it in your eyes. I can at least trust tha—"
"He’s got more time, you know."
Dagger stopped herself and blinked. "What?"
He looked up at her and smiled faintly. "Vivi has more time now.
"I sensed the urgency in his heart. I kept him out here, talking to him of my feelings and Zidane’s wishes to see him, so that I could do something about that ugency.
"This book," Kuja said, tapping the opened book he was reading, "has the power in it to do that. It is the book Zidane brought to me which could accomplish the same feat as I did with Vivi and his kind. I was happy to know I would be able to help Vivi, given the chance. And I did. Vivi will not be ‘stopping’ anymore…at least not for a while."
Dagger felt tears well up. She actually wanted to hug Kuja for what he’d done.
"Thank you. I can never say that enough, Kuja. Thank you!"
"I deserve no thanks. Think of it this way, Garnet. By extending Vivi’s lifespan as I did, I will be saving many people some grief. Myself included. I simply hope that you all find Zidane and that he’s found the resources I need."
"Well," Dagger replied, "that is a subject close to my heart. I assure you we will find Zidane. By any means necessary."
Kuja chuckled softly, the sound lifting the air around him. "I’m sure you will, Garnet. Or…do you prefer Dagger?"
She smiled. "Whichever, actually. Both stand for something different in my opinion, but both are as well quite appropriate."
And then he looked at her, smiling again. "You truly have grown much since we last met…Dagger. I am glad for that. And you must know that behind all the exhuberance and condescendence, I truly care for your plight.
"But I must ask one other thing of you before you depart tomorrow."
Dagger’s eyes met her hands again. "If I may give it, ask it."
The Genome lifted his hand, and a small light flared from it. Into the room hobbled an animated doll…in the shape of a small Zidane. Dagger was taken aback; a tiny little Zidane, about Vivi’s size, walking into the room to greet her?
"What…is this?"
Kuja grinned proudly. "Another of my creations. He is one fo my dolls, infused with the spell I used on Vivi. I, unfortunately, haven’t found a proper name for him yet. But he is capable of cognitive thought and even raw emotion.
"I would like for him to travel with you, so that perhaps he may be exposed to whatever it was that caused Vivi to become what he is today. An experiment, if you will. But…he does need a name."
She stared at the doll. The chubby face, blonde hair, large hands, and impish smile were all present. Dagger thought to name him Zidane as well, but immediately dismissed the notion.
"What about…Chance?"
Kuja seemed puzzled. "And why would you name him that, little jewel?"
"Because…that’s what his life is about at the moment, isn’t it? It makes sense. To me, at least, even if it seems a bit morbid. Do you like it, Kuja?"
He thought on it a while, his brow furrowed and hand on chin. Then he loked up at Dagger with a smile so wide it scared her.
"Yes, I like it. Quite an accomplishment, Dagger. Chance, say hello to Dagger, won’t you?"
The doll hobbled up to Dagger, his wooden eyes earnest. He placed his hands on hers, and she nearly jumped.
"You…you’re warm," he said, sort of muffled. "I’m not warm. Kuja says it’s cuz my body’s different from yours. Is that true? And what kinda name is Dagger?"
She couldn’t help but laugh at that. He was almost as naïve as Vivi! They’d get along well…
"Well, Chance, that is true. Our bodies are different, because yours is meant to last much longer than mine. And Dagger is a name someone very close to me calls me all the time. Or rather, used to. You’ll be meeting him soon, I hope. He’s named Zidane."
Chance looked at Kuja. "Is that the man who used to live here before I was born, Kuja?"
The Genome nodded. "Yes, he was here, but is now gone. He last left for Oielvert to ask the ancients a question about you and your brothers and sisters in there," he said, pointing to the workshop. "Dagger and your other new friends are going after him tomorrow, and I want you to go with her. It will be great fun, I promise. How about it, Chance?"
If it were possible, Dagger would think Chance had smiled.