| No matter where you go, there will always be someone who cares. -Dragon�s Words; vol. 7, pg. 60 Part 59 � Your point?� [If you rearrange the letter�s in Ajuk�s name, you get Kuja.] He stopped to stare at me. � . . . You�re joking.� [I wish I were.] He began to walk again. Or rather, totter. � And what about the second one?� [His name was Ziaden Rexiav IX.] � I thought he was your uncle.� [He was. But he disappeared when he was four d-age and was found a year later. He was no more than a shell. A soulless shell.] � May I ask for your point again?� [This shouldn�t be that difficult. Rearrange Ziaden.] � . . . Zidane . . .� he whispered in quiet understanding. � So . . . I guess this means I�m really a dragon?� [Your soul is a dragon�s. You are a human. All the genomes of Terra, even Kuja, are dragon souls in human bodies. They just don�t know it. Or don�t care. That is why everyone has a tail. To be reminded of what they were, even if their eyes are not green.] � . . . First I find out I was created and now I find out I�m a dragon . . .� [You consider that a bad thing?] � I guess not . . .� A sharp jab of pain shot through his side and he collapsed. I slipped under him, throwing my wings around him to keep him from sliding to the floor and hitting his head. He clung weakly to my neck, trying unsuccessfully to pull himself to his feet. [Stop it. You�re too weak. Rest.] � I can�t. I . . . I have to get out of here.� [I will get you out of here. You rest.] [Lady Kitiane!] I turned. [Gelgameth? How did you get here?] He stopped and stood for a moment, panting heavily. [I was looking for the king when I came upon an airship. It was hovering near the Shimmering Island and I figured it had something to do with you and Zidane, which only made it logical to me that the king was with you. The pilot of the airship came out---] [Erin?] [Yes, Erin. She told me you and the others had entered the vortex and gone to Terra. I followed, of course, and inquired around at Bran Bal. They weren�t very helpful, except for one. She told me that everyone had gone to Pandemonium.] [You believed her?] [I had no choice. The letter I received was urgent.] [What is it about?] [I don�t know. I received the letter to the king inside a letter to me.] [Who is it from?] [The leader of Lindblum. Regent Cid.] He paused. [May I speak to the king now?] [I don�t know where he is.] He looked thoroughly upset. [I�m sorry. I came here with Zidane and left everyone else in Bran Bal. Are they all here?] [I�ve spoken with everyone but the king and that hatchling.] [Vanel is most likely with him. If you find her, she�ll probably know where he is.] [Where is she?] [I don�t know!] Zidane groaned and, pulling himself like an old man, climbed onto my back. � Can we get out of here already?� I headed out, seeing no one at first. However, soon the entire group gathered along with me as we traveled. But there was still no sign of Tiovex or Vanel. And then, from nowhere, Vanel dropped from a floor above and landed heavily in our path. Everyone crowded around her. [Vanel? Vanel, wake up.] She lifted her head. [I . . . I made it . . .] [Vanel, where is Tiovex?] [They caught him.] [They? They who?] [Kuja and that other man.] Zidane growled and tried to stand, falling almost immediately. He struggled to his feet and staggered forward. � I�m going to kill both those bastards if it�s the last thing I do!� I stepped in front of him. � Zidane, that�s a nice sentiment, but I believe I�m not the only one who thinks you�re walking into a death trap and that you�re being just a bit battle-happy.� With another growl, he drew his dagger and held it level with the tip of my nose. � Get out of my way.� I snorted, keeping my eyes on him. � And what if I don�t? What will you do? Are you going to kill me? Be that perfect little pet killing machine Garland built you to be? Or are you going to use the brain you were born with and figure out a plan to rescue Tiovex?� I lifted my head, exposing my neck. � By all means, prove Garland right. Prove to yourself and everyone else that your only destiny is to kill. If, that is, you think I am wrong and that you cannot be what you make yourself to be.� He glared at me for a long moment . . . then dropped the dagger and sank to his knees. � What am I thinking?� I knew we needed to keep going, so I put his dagger back where it belonged and picked him up like a human mother would to a human child. He put his arms around my neck and laid his chin on my shoulder, closing his eyes and sniffling very quietly. No one, not even Steiner or Amarant, made a snide remark. � Just . . . kill me.� Everyone started and looked at Zidane�s back, which was the only thing any of them could see. � Just kill me and get it over with. I�m a menace. All I�ll ever end up doing is killing--hell, I�ve begun already --so you might as well get rid of me.� � Please don�t say that, Zidane!� Vanel begged. � You can�t mean it!� � Oh, I mean it all right.� <--Part 58 Part 60--> |