Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 2, 2014 17:49:40 GMT -5
"I see," said Elsa. She tugged uncomfortably at her coronation gown. The thick fabric, double its weight in water, sagged and pulled against her shoulders. She rolled them, but that only made it worse. "You're like me, then. A traveller."
She watched as he sorted himself, trying to brush off bits of seaweed and pat down dark splotches made by the water no doubt kicked up by her frantic attempts to save herself. She felt a bit guilty about ruining his outfit, but surely it would survive after a good cleaning. Besides, one could wash clothing, after all -- life, once lost, cannot be so easily replaced. She was thankful that he hadn't picked his outfit over her.
He was speaking again. Telling her about the castle and town she'd seen in the distance upon her arrival but hadn't risked approaching, having been determined to accomplish her task and depart this world as quickly as she could. He wondered if the town might have shops selling clothing, and even offered to accompany her.
Her earlier fears subsided. He seemed like a decent enough man. He hadn't done anything to harm her and, besides the obvious act of saving her life, seemed to only wish to help. Were all people really this friendly, she wondered, recalling how even those in her homeworld eventually forgave her erratic behaviour and dangerous ice powers, even though, in her view, she was still worth at least a bit of apprehension, given her lack of control and unpredictable moods. Perhaps it was worth lowering her defences, if only just a little. He had saved her, after all. Not that that meant anything -- it could still be a ploy, she supposed -- but it was a reasonable first step.
Her lips parted to accepted his invitation when he continued, stooping into a deep bow before her and introducing himself. Either he recognized her status or was trying to show off.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Kuja," she said, holding her prim tone. "I am Queen Elsa, of the Kingdom of Arendelle. And I accept your offer, thank you for being so kind."
(Bit shorter than I wanted it to be, but it's a post! Sorry this took so long, again.)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2014 5:36:34 GMT -5
Between the sun and the warm sea breeze, the genome was drying quite well. His pale skin was already dry and beginning to warm slightly as it did what it could to tan in the sun; however, the genome was far from worried about turning a different shade than normal. His skin would darken only faintly, but unlike normal skin, it more or less remained a pale cream color until he was injured by something powerful, but such a threat occurring here was unlikely. The two other presences didn’t seem to have notice them and were still in the same spot, so there was no worries coming from them. As for the woman he had fished from the sea, while it was true she might’ve caused the ice bridge, the genome did not sense any magic coming from her as his eyes drifted from the woman to the ice bridge that while still abundant was trying to melt under the hot sun. He studied the fascinating structure only for a moment before his mind was drawn to the annoying slap of wet fabric against his legs and upon looking down at the half robe, he took notice of other annoyances and so like the materialistic creature he was, he sat down to begin fixing the issues he saw. While he was doing that, he answered the questions asked before falling silent to concentrate on his work. As he was cleaning the remains of the sea off, he took notice of how the woman tugged uncomfortably at her own heavy looking gown. While the genome couldn’t say anything about women’s clothing, he knew that certain materials were not meant to be drenched in water….and it would appear that from wherever this woman came from, her clothing were made out of such a fabric. The dress was heavy and seemed designed for colder climates, so the genome wondered once more where she had come from and how she had wound up in a place that she seemed unsuited for. Curious or not, the genome remained quiet as he listened to her words and used the energy she was giving off to read her mood. She was nervous and uncomfortable to be sure, but who wouldn’t be after taking a nice swim in the ocean in a dress like that? Besides, she did not know him and he was pretty sure that gender differences, his questionable dress wear, and of course class differences (if that dress was anything to go by) were also some factors that played into the way she behaved around him. These were little facts and annoyances for the common man, but for this particular genome, the differences didn’t matter much. What mattered here is what was said and done and so far the girl did not do anything to make him feel offended or threaten. He could hold his peace with her. In any case, as the genome finished cleaning himself as much as he could and got to his feet and began the process of getting sand off of him, he nodded lightly at her assumption that he was a traveler. “I suppose that is a good word for me now a days,” he said as he knocked the last bit of sand off himself before focusing on a stubborn stained. Displeased as he was at this, he played off his agitation well enough as he looked back woman who was still giving off that uncomfortable air as if she was in trouble or something. The air was indeed another curious trait to this already odd woman; however, like a good little actor, the genome kept the questions to himself for now as he instead made a suggestion as to where they could perhaps look for clothing before offering to accompany her if she would like that. As he said the words, he sensed a shift in her aura. She was relaxing a bit and seemed to cast away whatever it was that made her nervous in the first place. The change was welcoming and a bit dangerous. If this woman indeed relaxed due to someone acting kind then, did that mean she was trusting? No…no he thought not. Despite her relaxing a bit, the genome could still sense her caution around him, but he did not seem to mind it one bit as he went from the offer to introducing himself in his usual showy ways before the woman could give him an answer. As he looked up at her from his bowed position and asked for her name with that friendly attitude, the genome was pleased that she responded back. He took note of her tone of voice. It was the tone that nobles or royalty used and so recognizing just the slightest bit of familiarity of classes, the genome made sure not to rise out of his bow too soon as he listened to the woman introduce her self as Queen Elsa of the Kingdom of Arendelle before accepting his offer. And so I end up associated with yet another royal. Well at least this one is an elegant swan in appearance and she doesn’t seem to be the brutish type like the elephant queen. Nor does she seem quite as feisty as the little canary. Yes, this can be tolerated, Kuja thought as he made a quick assessment of the woman and in turn used that to plot the way he acted towards her. With a friendly smile, he bowed even lower to her respecting her position as queen as he looked towards the ground. “It is my pleasure and honor to be able to assist you, your Highness,” the genome said before he carefully came out of his bow and then gestured in the direction of the town. “Shall we begin the long trek, then? Perhaps to fill in the time, your Highness can tell me a bit of about Arendelle? I am afraid I have no heard of such a place before, but it sounds fascinating,” the genome said keeping his tone respectful and his behavior submissive to the woman. He would let her take the lead on their journey towards the town and play his role as the lower class just like he had done so in the past. He would guage this Queen’s worth and in turn determine if she was worth saving from the sea or not. ___________________________________________________ ((Well a late post is better than none, so no worries on time and such. XD I am slow anyway. ^^; )
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 27, 2014 11:14:28 GMT -5
The man rose from his bow as he spoke. He spilled kind words onto her like a warm spring shower, offering his assistance and support and telling her of the pleasure and honour he had in helping her. They were sweet words, she thought, nothing that would convince her one way or another as to his true objective in saving her -- maybe he had none, and maybe she was just paranoid; she wouldn't it put it past herself if that's all it was. Elsa watched as she motioned towards the dim skyline on the horizon and, without missing a beat, she sank into a curtsey in thanks, pulling her sopping skirts apart and holding the heavy fabric aloft between her fingers.
"Shall we begin the long trek, then?" he proposed.
She nodded her head and lowered her dress. She almost smiled when he fell into line at her flank. The action was so minute, so inconsequential that to most it might have been missed -- but to Elsa, a queen and, as a girl, a princess, such a motion reflected that Kuja was used to dealing with royalty. It was a little thing, but to her surprise, it further ebbed her fears. It reminded her of home. Of her people. Of her sister.
They began to walk. Elsa led the way up the beach, up the gentle incline to the grassy plains and onto the thin dirt road that snaked its way across the countryside towards the town. She tried her best to ignore the way the fringe of her dress picked up bits of rock, dust and dirt as it swept across the ground, grinding her ankles with grit as she moved. She had half a mind to grab handfuls of the fabric and carry her gown the entire way to the town, but with Kuja at her back, she'd only look silly... and far less regal than her now proclaimed status demanded she act.
Perhaps, on her journey, it might be worth considering dropping her title of 'queen' occasionally, she thought.
"Perhaps," said Kuja from behind her, "to fill in the time, your Highness can tell me a bit about Arendelle? I am afraid I have not heard of such a place before, but it sounds fascinating."
Elsa smiled thinly to herself, lowering her head as they continued on as she considered his request.
"Do you think it wise, to ask a queen what she thinks of her own country?" she asked, trying to inject what little jest she could into her voice. "I won't exactly be the most unbiased source, but if you want to know... I'd be happy to tell you about it."
She folded her arms across her chest and receded into her thoughts, letting images of Arendelle flood her mind and trying to keep images of the people who lived there out.
"We're a rather northern country," she explained. "We have mild summers and long winters, but it's nice enough in the summer and spring to enjoy the aroma of the flowers that the townspeople set out on their windowsills every year. The castle town is surrounded by a massive fjord that surrounds the city and circles under the castle. People ride longboats up and down the fjords in the spring, in annual boat races. In the winter, snow falls lightly on the town but quite heavily up in the mountains that surround us. One of our largest national exports is ice, so the Ice Harvesters work long hours during the cold months to cut and transport as much ice as possible, so that we can sell it to neighbouring kingdoms who need it for water, chill food or for medical reasons. We're a small country, so we have to do whatever we can to keep up trade with other nations."
Elsa sighed. Just talking about it brought back waves of emotions she didn't want to be feeling. Not now, not with a stranger watching. Not on some desolate dirt road en route to a kingdom she knew nothing about.
She fell into silence. The only sound she made was that of dirt and rubble crunching under her heels.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 31, 2014 19:57:26 GMT -5
The sun continued to beam down warmly upon the land as the ocean's breezes blew in the unnaturally chill that was caused by large expanse of ice that still held some the ocean in its grasp. As the wind blew and the gulls above called, the genome and the Queen continued their conversation with relative ease.
While Kuja was still unsure of the woman before him, he felt that the woman was relatively harmless as he spoke his words and made his offer to her. In turn, the woman gave him a curtsey. A feat that still came off quite lovely despite the fact that her heavy dress was still soaked. The sun and the wind, as powerful as they were, would not be able to fast dry the young lady as they had the done the genome who wore lighter and less fabric than her.
It was indeed a pity, but Kuja did not feel any guilt at the fact that he was dry and the woman was still a soaking mess. No, instead as he watched the curtsey and gave the woman a pleasant smile, the genome's mind began tossing out certain opinions about the woman as he did his best to form the best judgement of the woman that he could. As it stood now, the woman while tense had done everything right in the prideful genome's eyes. Despite being a Queen and proper, she had shown nothing, but politeness to the genome who was a stranger to her. This behavior was common of most royals and nobles, but Kuja had to admit that this was the first time he had found a royal that genuinely felt more humble and he supposed more innocent than the arrogant and cruel lot he had contended with in the past.
She is almost like the canary, but not as feisty, the genome thought finding the similarities and difference odd, but if the Queen could keep this attitude up, then maybe he could get along with her quite well.
And wouldn't that be a welcome change? Kuja thought to himself as he continued to observe the woman. The change in company would indeed be nice. While his travel was not exactly unkind up to a point, it was not like the company had was the type you sat around and chatted with. No, the company he kept was all about business and not much more...and if they weren't about business, the people drawn to him were out to destroy himself and the world. Yes...this chance to simply chat with another that wasn't working his nerves was indeed going to be a welcome change provided that woman didn't do anything to mess this up. After all, trust was still an issue between the relaxed genome and the woman he was with.
Even so, Kuja did not let up on his friendly air for you see, he was not here to make enemies. No, he had quite enough of that for one day. In any case, after pleasantries and offers were passed the genome had asked the woman if she was ready to begin the trek towards the blurry castle and hopefully a town beyond.
To his question the woman nodded as she came out of her curtsey and let her wet dress fall back to her side. As they began to walk, Kuja fell in line behind the woman thinking that perhaps as a Queen she would prefer to believe she had the power here. It was a rare treat that genome gave the woman this honor since he didn't give to this option to just anyone. Still, there was something about the earlier behavior of the girl that had allowed him to give her a bit of respect and so allow her the honor of being his superior for the time being if she should chose to do so.
However, despite the small gesture of respect that Kuja had given the woman, as he followed the woman, he took note that the tension that had seemed to go away a bit beforehand came back in full force and swallowed up the woman before him. The sensation made Kuja wonder if his action of letting her play leader unnerved her or if something else caused her to be so wired up. Strange, curious, and intriguing, the woman's behavior and presence begged questioning; however, unlike others of his kind, Kuja knew better than to start firing off random questions, especially to strangers. No, he would wait for the right time to ask questions. For now, he remained silent as he continued to follow the Queen.
They walked up the beach and the gentle incline that led them from sucking sand to the more solid earth as they entered the grassy plains. As they traveled in silence for a while Kuja took note of the way the grass, rocks, dirt, and dust clung to the bottom of the woman's dress as she moved, making for a very uncomfortable fringe he was sure, but instead of trying to move the dress so she could walk more comfortably with such filth upon her, the woman kept walking with her back straight and her head held up in a confident manner. From just glancing at her, the woman remained the image of a queen even when she was soaked and becoming dirty from the journey.
An impressive act, Kuja thought as his blue eyes turned from the woman's state of being to his own half robe as it snagged against some brittle grass hidden amongst the lush sea of green. Becoming slight peeved at the light tear in the fabric as loose pieces of grass began to cling to his slightly damp robes as other pieces floating through the air became tangled in his drooping feather and still damp hair, Kuja occasionally brushed away the pieces upon him as he continued to move along behind the woman.
When he finally gave up on keeping the grass off of him, Kuja sighed inwardly before turning blue orbs to the world around him as began to scan the landscape of lush green grass and gentle rising slopes that went on for miles it seemed. As they walked, the grass changed to thicker and more coaser grass the further away from the beach they went. The land was quite a sight to take in and remind Kuja of the fields of Gaia. Even the feel of the place was similar, but even so the area was quite small in comparison to Gaia's grand and sweeping landscapes and the castle in the distance didn't seem as grand as the one located in Alexaderia. I may not be welcomed back home after what I have done, but...I still miss it, the genome thought to himself as he continued to take the scenery in as a bit of loneliness sunk into him and threatened to sink him into a darker mood...and in turn made that strange weight in his Heart turn a bit faster.
Unconsciously, Kuja raised a pale hand to his chest and rubbed the spot where his Heart was, trying to stop the strange sensation he felt within, but then catching himself in the act and remembering that he was with another, the genome let his hand drop to his side in a natural fashion as he glanced over to his quiet companion hoping she had not seen what h had done. If she had seen what he did, that would be highly embarassing and if questions resulted from what she had seen...?
No! Don't go there....Anywhere, but back there, Kuja thought as he shook himself mentally to chase away the events of the Iifa Tree that were threatening to come up again. Perhaps in an effort to further chase away the dark thoughts, Kuja eventually opened his mouth and asked the woman to tell him about Arendelle. As he spoke, he did his best to keep his voice friendly and happy despite what was happening inside.
As he asked the question he saw the woman bow her head in thought as a small smile played upon her lips. When she spoke, her words were light enough, but Kuja had to wonder if like him she too pretended to be happy to cover a much deeper mess within. It was a strange thought, but the genome couldn't help, but to see a bit of himself reflected in the reserved and quiet woman's actions.
Regardless of this, the genome did not miss a beat as his face softened and smile came to his lips.
"I am not sure how wise it is to ask any questions to Queens; however, I have learned that even if it is unwise to asks, the answers are often worth the trouble even if they are bias," the genome told her as his eyes appeared to narrow in joy as he played along with her jest, keeping his speech light and respectful before falling silent to let the woman continue.
He watched as the woman folded her arms as her mind seemed to go elsewhere as she began to speak.
Arendelle, according to the Queen, was a northern country that had mild summers and long winters, but despite this it was still pleasant to be in when the warmer seasons cam. As she described the aroma of flowers and how the castle and town surrounding it were, Kuja could see different images cross his mind from places he had been to in Gaia. The simple town of Dali, the magnificence of Alexandria...yes the summers of Arendelle did seem pleasant.
Heh. They even have boat rides although their purpose is different than the ones back home, Kuja thought to himself as his earlier smile settled into one that was small, yet more genuine than any smile he had given thus far. The genome could feel a strange warm feeling well up in him, but did not understand it or where it had come from. It was a bit uncomfortable, but for the time being Kuja didn't want to examine it or even try to fight the feeling. Instead, he let the feeling sink into him and push back the moodiness and darkness that was creeping up earlier.
In any case, the description went from peaceful and warm to cold as the woman began to describe the winters drawing up images of the mountains and Ice Caverns of the Mist Continent and the icy landscapes of the Lost Continent in the genome's mind. The images caused the earlier smile to fade a bit as the genome struggled not to go down memory lane. As he struggled with himself, he focused on Queen Elsa's words as she described the Ice Havesters and trade that her country needed to survive. Nodding lightly at the words, Kuja's fake smile presented itself again as he bowed his head and watched the dust his boots created as he continued to walk.
"That sounds like a lovely place. Arendelle is very similar to my home, so the description brings comfort. Thank you for the insight, Your Highness," the genome said kindly and then pausing as he heard the sigh, he looked up at the woman with him and saw her sagging with emotional weight. With his smile fading, his voice took on a more concerned tone as he tilted his head slightly at the woman who had become quiet, leaving only the sounds of their shoes crunching on the dry road to fill the void created.
"Is everything alright, Your Highness? I hope I haven't said anything to offend you," the genome said quietly as he continued to move along with the Queen as the town and castle ahead got closer as they moved on.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2014 6:18:56 GMT -5
Elsa had only smiled at his comments about asking queens questions before she'd continued on her with her descriptions of Arendelle and fallen into the silence that emerged from it. Her eyes sat upon the castle town in the distance as she, too, reflected on what she'd seen of him during the course of their time together. She didn't quite understand him. He'd shown her nothing but kindness -- he'd saved her life! -- and yet Elsa could not shake the feeling that, despite all she had done to try and show her appreciation for his selfless act and his continued assistance, he was still judging her somehow.
She made a point of not looking at him whenever she felt it. Whenever she felt his eyes roam across her body, perhaps eyeing the ring of filth that was building around the fringe of her dress or the sagging fabric of her clothes as they hung, heavy and uncomfortable, over a frame that should be shivering from the cold and yet stood straight and regal as any dry woman's might. She wasn't entirely uncomfortable -- her gown glued to her skin and chaffed against her legs and arms as she walked, but the fabric still felt only mildly cool to her and thus, despite the weight it added to her shoulders, she could bear the discomfort well enough. Well enough to keep it from showing, anyway.
Despite his own glances keeping her eyes on the road, Elsa had managed a few of her own. As they'd come up the gentle hill onto the grassy plains, she'd turned her head ever so slightly to the left to get a view of him as he settled into position just behind her. Perhaps it was her own paranoia that had made her do it -- being ostracized from one's own kingdom did something to a young ruler's mind -- or perhaps it had been simple curiosity, but regardless of the reason, what she'd seen only put a small smile upon her own lips, a smile that had successfully stayed hidden in her point position of their little pack. His hand hovering over his chest, head and eyes downcast, fingers reaching for something just below the flesh. To anyone else, perhaps it might have been an odd gesture -- strange and too personal and not meant to be performed in the company of others -- but to Elsa, it spoke as clear as the waters into which he'd made her fall. It made her want to do the same. To reach up, place her hand over her heart, check and see if she was still alive, if she was still human.
If her storm was finally, actually gone.
She had turned her head back to the castle long before he would have ever noticed her spying. Kept her eyes on it until his question about Arendelle had drawn her gaze down to her hands, fingers locked together over her front. He might never know it, but the two seconds of weakness he didn't want her to see had done more than anything -- even pulling her from her death in the ocean -- to inspire trust in him.
She let herself breathe.
Her shoulders relaxed, complaining. They still had the weight of her dress to bear, but the easing of her muscles put a smile to her lips regardless, despite the pain.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch, went the rubble under their feet.
The silence was permeated by another question at her back. He sounded concerned and spoke in tones barely above a whisper. She shook her head in response.
"You're very welcome," she said. "I'm glad I could remind you of your home. You must live in a beautiful world as well if such things bring back fond memories."
She turned her head in earnest, her eyes shining in the sunlight.
"And yes, everything is alright. Describing my kingdom to you has only made me... long to return to it. I'm sure you can understand."
She bit her tongue as another question rose in her throat. She wondered if it would be too direct to ask, too early in their budding companionship to start asking Froms and Tos, but she couldn't help it. The words were slipping past her teeth before she could stop them.
"May I ask, if I'm not being too bold," she continued, hesitating, "... where is it you've come from? How did you get here, to this world?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2014 19:48:30 GMT -5
Kuja had managed to get a smile from the strange woman he fished out of the sea when he spoke of asking queens questions; however, despite how she smiled, there was something in her actions and eyes when he did get to see them that made him wonder if the woman before him was actually uncomfortable being around him…or was it people in general? Was she shy? No…No that did not seem to be the case. This intentional habit of hers to keep her gaze away from his and pretend on the surface to be content…it was a cover to something. It had to be…because in the end the genome mimicked similar behavior. The only difference between him and her was how they decided to wield their cover.
The genome preferred to be loud and showy, while the woman preferred to be reserve and quiet. Fitting, he supposed, of her position, but still it made him wonder just what it was she was hiding. Besides being dressed oddly the woman before him seemed ordinary enough if you threw her title as queen away. He didn’t sense magic from her despite the fact that she had been crossing that ice and some form of magic had been used earlier in the day. He didn’t sense any form of hidden power that would suggest she was more than a young lady, so what was it? What was it that made her close up like she did? Made her hard to read?
Was she simply being defensive in the presence a stranger? Or was this hunch of his that there was something more at play true? Hmmm…
The genome pondered the thought for a moment as he continued to move his eyes between the woman and the changing landscape around them. Outside of wearing heavy clothing quite well despite being soaked, the genome did not find the absence of shivers or complaints of coldness odd from the woman. He figured that the sun was either warm enough to keep her warm or like her strong and reserved personality suggested, she simply bared her misery without flinching.
Whatever the truth was behind these mysteries of the woman, Kuja did not bother prying as he instead kept walking as he trailed behind her not minding not knowing. After all, if all the cards were revealed now, he would have nothing to look forward to if the woman did prove to be something more than ordinary. So for the time being, the white haired genome was content simply walking in her presence and observing the world around them.
As he walked, the genome felt various tugs within him, but none he fully understood. As he bowed his head and reached for the spot where he had been stabbed by the beast and where his Heart resided, he did not notice that the young woman had indeed seen the display for about time he realized what he was doing and ceased the action, the woman had looked away making her appear to be still gazing ahead.
Not showing the relief he felt at not being caught, or so he thought, the genome continued to follow along the woman in silence as they crossed the field and headed up the dirt road towards the castle town. It wasn’t until some moments had passed that the genome broke the silence by asking his question about Arendelle.
With little hesitation, she had told him what he sought. Her words brought strange feelings to Kuja as he used the descriptions to think back on Gaia. Why did he do such a thing when that place really wasn’t his home? Had being exile from his original home caused him to accept the place he was meant to destroy as home? Did he really care about it? The feelings and questions that swirled within kept the genome silent as he continued to listen. Continued to try to understand himself until finally the woman finished her explanation. Without missing a beat, Kuja pulled himself together and gave his thanks for the information; however, the fake joy he was displaying to cover other things quickly evaporated as he heard the sigh and saw the woman look down at her hands with fingers locked before her as she seemed to contemplate something for a moment.
He could feel tension building again despite the earlier signs of the woman relaxing or the light smile she wore upon her lips. He listened to the sounds of their shoes crunching the dirt underfoot for a moment before he was speaking his question to the woman he watched so carefully.
In response, she shook her head as she told him that she was pleased that she could remind him of his own home before speaking on the beauty of the place he came from and fond memories. To this, the genome grimace a little as he moved his left hand to rub his right arm showing a bit of discomfort at the idea.
“I suppose that is more or less true…” he said as he forced a light smile to his lips and did his best to push away the not so fond memories that cropped up when it came to thinking about what happened back home.
In fact, he was still trying to compose himself when the woman unexpectedly turned to look back at him causing him to tense more so out of embarrassment of being caught showing weakness than the actual action; however, as he looked into her calm blue eyes, the genome found himself relaxing as he watched how the sunlight played in those deep pools.
He couldn’t explain what it was about that one moment, but something within the genome cracked and he allowed a strange and warm feeling to enter into his Heart. A feeling that was intimidating and yet felt so safe that the genome could not push it aside so easily. He let the feeling sink in as his body slowly relaxed and the first genuine smile appeared on his lips as he nodded at the woman.
“I am glad to hear that,” he said truly meaning the words as he let his hand arm drop back to his side as that strange feeling he did not have a name for let the genome be more of his true self than the one he hide behind. To the second part of her statement, he looked away as he shrugged lightly.
“I am not sure if I really do understand to be honest. Don’t get me wrong, I do wish to go back home, but I am not sure if you and I want to go back to where we came from for the same reasons…” the genome said softly in honest tones as he continued to walk watching the ground in silence as he tried to understand why it was that he was telling this woman this. Why was it that something he would never do normally was so easy to do around this woman? What was it about her that allowed him to give her…his trust easier than others? How was it that he genuinely liked being around her and felt calm and safe while doing said activity? What was it?
The questions and strange feelings went on and on confusing the genome who frowned slightly in frustration at the thoughts. He thought they would swallow him up, but then the woman was asking him a question that cut through the confusion like a sword.
Glad for the distraction, Kuja looked up at the woman with a warm smile as he shook his head.
“It’s not too bold of all. After all, I asked you about your home, so it is only fair that I repay the favor,” Kuja said to her before raising his left hand slightly cupped towards his lips. Using the index finger, he tapped his lip with one pale finger as he looked slightly up at the sky as he spoke and thought.
“I am not sure if I can actually say which direction Gaia is in for you see it is a place made of many lands both small and large. The pieces are all scattered amongst a great ocean, but unless one loves to travel far one would not see the grand beauty of the world as a whole. Most that live in Gaia stay on the largest of the land masses known as the Mist Continent. Like Arendelle it has mountains and some areas do follow the same pattern of weather as you described, but alongside that there are sweeping deserts, strange forests, deep caverns, and more. It is the sort of place that you could lose many days in trying to find all of its secrets. Quite pleasant, I must admit,” the genome said with a bit of pride in his voice as he held back the part about the bad memories associated with home. Staying cheerful, the genome continued.
“While there are many places to live in Gaia, my home rests within the desert and while I am sure the desert hasn’t swallowed it whole yet, I often wonder what has become of my palace since I have been away,” the genome said as his smile became a light frown as his eyes drifted from the sky to the Queen before him.
“And now away brings us to your second question,” the genome said with a light sigh. “To be honest, I am not sure how to explain my situation to you. I suppose the best way to put it is that I was ripped from my world and tossed into another by some strange dark portal or magic. I haven’t figured out which it is, but it is very frustrating not having the answer,” the genome complained lightly as he shook his head, his slightly damp white locks swaying slightly this way and that way with the movement.
Then looking over at Elsa with curiosity in his eyes, he asked,
“And you? How did you wind up here in the middle of the ocean on a bridge of ice?”
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2014 6:53:58 GMT -5
Something had changed in his voice. He may have tried to hide it from her, but Elsa, despite her self-imposed isolation, had been raised to be a queen. She'd been trained in noticing the subtle change in people's tones for the sake of safely navigating sensitive diplomatic conversations, of learning how to play and control her own court, of learning the hidden art of small talk and the importance of being keenly aware of everything one's partner was doing, saying, even thinking. And Elsa could tell that something had changed in the man. His tone was softer, his body language more open, his movements more fluid. He frowned, occasionally, to himself, as if confused by his own shift in behaviour. Elsa only continued to smile as gently and as comfortingly as she could, steeled but calmed by her exhalation of breath earlier and the release of pressure from her shoulders.
She could kiss that sea witch. How simpler life was like this: even when she'd been doubtful and fearful of him on the beach, even when she'd been trapped under the water by the weight of her dress, no ice spilled from her pores, spreading chaos as her emotions ran wild. Even now, walking alongside Kuja, the dull pounding of her heart the only reminder that if fear still existed within her, it was weak and powerless, now. It could do nothing to harm her, him, or anything else.
She could touch him. If she wanted. Take his hand in hers and not have to worry whether he'd turn to ice as fast as it took her heart to beat.
She'd listened while he spoke, telling her of the wonders of his own home, the expansive array of different terrain and environments surprising Elsa most. She tried to imagine the world he was painting into her mind, tried to imagine living in a palace in the desert, surrounded by a sea of sand and blistering heat. The thought almost made her shudder. She could never live in such a dry, arid, unforgiving place. Perhaps it was the storm inside her that that was to blame, but she'd never been particularly drawn to warm places. She didn't mind sitting by the fire on long winter nights back home in Arendelle, or the warmth of the hugs her parents and sister used to give her... before her accident, and before everything in her life began to go horribly, horribly wrong, but she could never imagine choosing to live, willingly, in such a place. She'd never been to a desert, of course, but from what reading she'd done of them -- and she'd done plenty of reading on all sorts of things, shut up for thirteen years in her bedroom as a child -- it didn't sound like the kind of environment in which an oddity like her, drawn to the ice and cold, would enjoy.
Still, she nodded her head as he finished and smiled a little more broadly.
"It sounds like a wonderful place," she said. "I can't imagine what it would be like to live in such a vast world. Then again, I... rarely left the castle on my world. But a queen's duty is to her kingdom. The world beyond was little of my concern... though I wish I had seen more of it before..."
She trailed off. Kuja continued, despite her lapse in concentration, her missing words.
He answered her second question, and immediately she regretted having not finished her earlier sentence. It seemed as though the same thing had happened to her. The same crude, sudden abduction, the same Dark Corridor appearing to tear her away from her home, her sister, her world, everything she'd ever known, only to dumb her unceremoniously at the feet of the man who had sent her on this journey. The man who'd told her that her ice would be instrumental in saving those worlds yet to be claimed by the Darkness. And then, of course, at her first opportunity, she'd gone and squandered any chance she ever had of being useful. Of using her powers for good instead of causing pain, instead of hurting everyone she'd ever loved back home. Hurting Anna.
"... That's exactly what happened to me," she said once he'd finished.
She stopped walking entirely and turned to face him, her hands having risen to clutch themselves at her chest.
"I was taken from my world as well," she continued. "The Darkness had been growing on the edge of my kingdom for a few days when it happened. I left my room once more and all of a sudden there was a portal in the floor. These little black creatures jumped out and grabbed me, and I fell into it. When it released me, I was in a different world. I've been travelling ever since."
His gaze still on her, Elsa noticed the curiosity in his eyes as he asked one more question. It was one she did not particularly want to answer. Despite her brief opening up to this man about how she'd come to be torn away from her homeland, she let her hands fall back to sit, clasped, across her middle. Her own eyes widened slightly, but she kept them locked on his.
"I...," she said, hesitating, "it's a little complicated. When I was taken from my world, the world I found myself in was swarming with Darkness. It was in the air, latched onto the sides of buildings, moving in great swirls across the sky. There were bright lights everywhere and... and a tall, white castle in the distance. I met a man there. We talked for a while, and then he... he conjured one of those portals and sent me here."
She couldn't keep her eyes on him any longer.
"The ice bridge was here when I arrived."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2014 21:54:18 GMT -5
This walk with this woman from the sea…it is quite strange. But…why is it so strange? What makes being with her different than any other encounter I’ve had thus far? The thought crossed the white haired genome’s mind as he walked continued to walk with the reserve woman. With the sun beaming down upon them, the usually talkative and flashy genome found himself humbled and quiet before the woman he was with... A behavior he had only shown once in life to the one who created him when he was young and untainted by the harshness of life. Back then before everything fell apart and he was changed by ambition, Kuja had been a genome much like the others – a blank slate waiting for a soul to enter him and bring him to life. When his creator had put the soul in him that set him apart from everyone else, the genome had at first been submissive and humble. The only thing he had wanted was to please his master, but then things began to change. He began to learn about his powers, his job, and how to act. He became a creature of destruction that loathed conformity and so in turn rebelled against his creator’s wishes to forge his own way in life. He had wanted to be free. Free of the rules and training, free of the blank stares his siblings gave him, free from the harsh light that Gaia casted upon the world of Terra.
When he was sent to Gaia on a mission to destroy it, he had proven he was a superior weapon, but his refusal to be chained down caused his master to banish him forever from the world in which he came from. At first, he was happy. He was free and found that with enough hard work, he could get anything he wanted in life. He mimicked the nobles and found ways to make his skills and intelligence useful to others as he wormed his way into the hearts and homes of many he called pawns. He was consumed with success and power unfearful of anything…until he came face to face with him.
Zidane…the Angel of Death that was designed to replace him. When he was young, Kuja had snatched the little brat from Terra and discarded him on Gaia think nature would destroy him; however….nature allowed him to live and by living, Zidane learned things that Kuja was never allowed to learn. Friendship, hope, kindness…all foreign concepts that made no sense to the older genome that had lived his whole life simply trying to survive in a world that he did not belong in….
It was strange back then….when he had snapped and Zidane came to save him from death. It was strange encountering that blonde when he had been a puppet for Chaos. Each time….Zidane had tried to help him, but pride wouldn’t let him bow to that, but now? Now that he had been reborn and dragged across the coals a couple of times, Kuja had been willing to change, but had no idea how to, so he sought out the one key he thought could help him –Zidane- only for that beast at the Iifa Tree to knock the key further away from him.
He had doubt and troublesome thoughts within him that made something within twist in an uncomfortable fashion…and made him face the fact that no matter how much he tried to hide it, he was still a scared and lost individual with no guidance. Guidance…he desperately needed in a time where he could not really see where he was going. He was scared and alone once more, his own thread of hope smoothered by a dark fog that threatened to consume him. The genome had almost given up on the matter of finding Zidane as his mind focused on killing Heartless and getting revenge instead.
He had almost gone down the same path he had in the past. The one that made him fall from power...
But then she appeared and now that path of revenge doesn’t seem so important any longer. Why? Kuja wondered as his eyes drifted from the fields scattered with wooden fences and the occasional sheep back to the woman who he walked with.
Despite the earlier tension, the woman had relaxed and become a person that was gentle towards him. The smile and confidence that she wore even with something was weighing her down did wonders to cancel out the more wilder side of the genome that trailed behind her. There was just something about the woman that Kuja could relate to and in turn connected him to her in a way that was similar to how he was connected to Zidane.
There was a strange understanding that was shared between them and made both this woman and Zidane perfect sheaths to keep him contained and calm. He didn’t understand it, but he wasn’t humble because he was trying to act or impress, but rather he was humble because for the first time in forever, he had found a second person he could truly be himself with. She didn’t judge him. She didn’t try to control him or correct him. She just let him be who he was.
It was odd, but in some ways she did remind Kuja of Zidane and in turn, reminded him why he was searching for his younger brother in the first place. He was trying to understand these…feelings, weren’t they called? Yes.. feelings. The strange thoughts and pulls that made him question himself and the world. Made him want to change, even if he didn’t know how to.
Yes…the connection that had been made just from simply being around the woman was indeed strange, but there was something here that Kuja could not let go of. Didn’t want to let go of. It was something that gave him strength to push forward and rebel against even whatever fate the beast had laid upon him at the Iifa Tree. It gave him the will to fight…gave him a different purpose outside of destroying. Yet he did not have a name for the thing he felt towards Zidane and now this woman who he was slowly trusting.
Odd….
Kuja remained pondering the thought,s putting them on pause only to answer Elsa’s questions when she asked them. He explained his world to her, getting a nod and a smile at the end of it all as she explained how she thought the place was wonderful before moving on to say that she couldn’t imagine living in such a large world.
In response to those words, Kuja had smirked a bit as his lips parted.
“The world is not as overwhelming as you think. It is quite small in the end,” he told her in calm tones, but then listened as she continued telling him about how she hardly left the castle she lived in, saying her duty to her kingdom prevented her from leaving. He found that a bit odd considering the two female royals he knew hardly stayed in their spots, but then again their motives were a lot more ambitious than simply ruling a kingdom, weren’t they?
Kuja supposed those fact didn’t really matter anymore. What mattered was the now and right now this gentle Queen was lost in a world that neither of them knew, so just as randomly as he had decided to rescue the woman from drowning, the genome decided to continue to travel with her for as long as they could remain together provided she didn’t mind.
But why? Why do this when in any other instance he wouldn’t have cared?
Still a bit preplexed with himself, Kuja’s smile faded in response to his own distress, but mostly it faded due to the woman not finishing her sentence. She didn’t tell him what had further prevented her from traveling, but then again….maybe he already knew what it was. Maybe it was his small hunch on her situation being similar to his own that the genome was able to brush away his awkwardness and move onto answer her question on how he had gotten here with little trouble.
When he finished, the woman confirmed his earlier suspicions saying that what had happened to him had happened to her too.
Interesting... so the strange darkness is everywhere. I wonder if they are the cause of it all, Kuja thought to himself as his pace slowed and he pulled himself to a stop just as the woman in front of him did the same. She turned to him causing the genome to regard her with calm blue eyes as she held her hands clasped together at her chest. Right in the spot the Heart was in.
To the casual observer, the move might’ve been seen as simply worry being expressed, but to Kuja that simple gesture coming from this woman was something more. It was not worry that brought her hands up like that. It was uncertainity….
She is indeed similar to me, perhaps that is why I want to stay here with her. To try and understand her…and myself…the genome thought as he kept his thoughts from showing on his fave. This and the woman’s naturally mysterious auroa made her intriguing to the genome, but for the moment, he kept the questions on hold as he listened to her words.
Shifting his weight to the left and placing his left hand upon his hip Kuja’s neutral expression shifted into one of annoyance and displeasure as he heard what happened to her. He waited until she finished before expressing in words what annoyed him so.
“So the little beasts known as th Heartless are indeed the cause of our misfortune. Hmph! Guess I have yet another reason to eradicate these pests,” the genome said out loud as he gazed moodily at the green fields that sloped away and disappeared into the lush forests beyond. It was one thing to be personally tormented by the beasts, but if they were going around stealing people from their homes then that made the offense even worse.
It wasn’t that Kuja was trying to play hero or impress anyone with his actions, the genome simply hated to see things that threatened himself or his fun run free. If anyone dared to do such things and decided to mess up the order of the worlds on top of that, then hero or not, Kuja would be sure to stop them. After all, how else was he to start chaos if something else was already doing the job for him?
Staying quiet for a bit longer, Kuja continued to steam openly before calming down and looking over at Elsa as his earlier curiosity about her came to a the front once more. Deciding to use said curiosity to change the subject, Kuja had posed his question to the woman and took note of her reactions to the slight pry.
She let her hands fall from her chest and rest naturally clasped behind her as her eyes widened slightly. In response, the genome narrowed his eyes slightly as he held her gaze. While she tried to hide it, Kuja could read the fear in her eyes. Keeping this fact in the back of his head, Kuja kept a steady gaze upon her as she spoke.
She was explaining that her situation was complicated when it came to the ice bridge. She said that when she was snatched from her world she landed in darkness that clung to everything around her. The air, the buildings, the ground. The only thing that pierced this darkness was the bright light that radiated from the buildings the darkness clung to and within this darkness there had been a tall white castle that she had entered. Inside she found a man that talked with her and then conjured up a portal of darkness and sent her to this world. The ice bridge is where she ended up….
Kuja listened to her words, his face remaining neutral the whole time; however, when she finished the genome sighed lightly as he folded his arms and began to walk towards the standing woman, his footsteps non-hostile, but still sure as he moved at a casual pace.
“That is quite the adventure you had and some of it I can relate to. The darkness that the portals draw you and I into has the tendency to hold me in its arms for a long period of time before a light appears and lets me out into a random world. I will admit they were quite annoying at first, but with a little patience I have managed to somewhat open them, so assuming the man you met wasn’t a Heartless, then this mage of your might be an interesting source of information. Maybe he can show me how to control the portals fully too,” Kuja said with a light smile before he paused a few feet before the woman with the smile still in place although it did not touch his cold eyes.
“However, I have a feeling that the mage might be a bit of a problem. If he resides in a castle within the darkness then he must’ve had a purpose for you coming here,” Kuja said as he tilted his head to left, the coldness in his eyes not leaving as he continued to study the woman before him who now had her head bowed and was looking towards the ground.
He was quiet for a moment and then without warning he moved towards the woman and invaded her personal space without permission, but he did not seem to care. With caution and gentleness, he reached out his hand and cupped a finger under her soft chin. With only a little force, he attempted to get her to look him in the eye; however, whether she did this, backed away or even slapped him for the bold move the genome would manage to speak his words as his cold expression softened a bit.
“Tell me what it is that you are hiding that makes you afraid to be truthful about that bridge. I am no fool, Elsa and I am afraid magic is something I am quite familiar with and that bridge radiates with it. I know we’re strangers, but lying won’t get you very far, especially when you are terrible at telling the lie,” Kuja said in a soft voice, his last words being followed by an amused smirk as he continued to watch the woman before him to see if she would give him an answer or not.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2014 21:13:18 GMT -5
"Indeed they are," Elsa agreed with a short nod to his comments about the Heartless. Her eyes narrowed slightly at his use of 'eradicate,' but the expression held for barely a second before she let her light smile return. She had no right to make any comment on his plans regarding the Heartless: she'd been bent on doing the same when the creatures had begun appearing in Arendelle, terrorizing her citizens and destroying rural towns, only to grow in numbers and come in even more overwhelming parties to maim and cause havoc in the castle town. For a while, despite the uselessness of her army's swords and shields against the creatures and her own abduction, her ice had managed to keep the creatures at bay. But she had destroyed them. Eradicated them. There had been no reasoning with them and she couldn't just let them assault her people, her kingdom... and then, perhaps in retaliation, they'd stolen her, pulled her away from everything she knew, everything she held dear. And now she was here, with him, talking about it to a complete stranger as if they were old friends.
It was almost surreal. But it was comforting, knowing she wasn't the only one. Knowing that, despite everything, she wasn't alone in her confusion, her anger, her desperation to get home. Her fear.
Her dress pulled at her shoulders. They hurt, but like before, she didn't let the pain show on her face. She maintained her smile, though it had faded slightly since their discussion had slipped onto the subject of the Heartless, hidden by her downward gaze. She couldn't help but feel a little hatred for them. Hatred for their tiny, black bodies and small, yellow eyes and sharp little claws. Hatred for what they'd done to her, and to him. So soon after she'd survived her ordeal with Anna and Hans, after finally settling back into some semblance of a normal life... they'd taken everything away from her. And, from the look in his eyes and the way he stared off at the endless green fields behind her, she assumed they'd taken something from him, as well.
He spoke to her again, in calm, almost hushed tones, starting to walk towards her. He told her about the portals' tendencies of holding onto him for long periods of time, forcing him to wait until a familiar dot of light appeared for him to exit through. She could relate: her trip to this world had been less than pleasant. The portal, teaming with dark flames and wisps of the same Darkness that had gripped Arendelle, gripped her, had plunged her into an unfriendly world. Dark as night and full of the same winding, suffocating tendrils that had stolen her away from home. Something within it -- maybe it was just the Darkness, maybe it was something else, she had no way of knowing -- had made the storm in her chest rage. Fear climbed from the core of her being into her chest, into her heart, making it pound and pulse and pump painfully. Panic had almost consumed her by the time she'd found the light, stumbled towards it, tumbled out of the Corridor and onto the sand, clutching at her chest, panting.
Then he mentioned his interest in finding the man who'd sent her here. He mentioned that he could open the very same portals Xehanort had used to bring her to this world.
"You can open them too?" Elsa asked, unable to keep the question on her tongue, her eyes still on the ground by her feet. "I suppose he might be able to help you with learning how to use them. He was an interesting old man... his name was Xehanort. Master Xehanort. I've no idea how you'd find him, though... I don't even know the name of the world I came from."
He continued, remarking at how a man living inside a castle surrounded by Darkness must have had a purpose for sending her to this world. Her hands twitched uncomfortably in their clasped position over her front. How was she supposed to explain that? How she, a girl with no magical power, was sent to this world to freeze it entirely. To bury every square inch in thick ice and snow. It was supposed to protect the world from the Darkness that was encroaching, slowly, on all worlds, or so Xehanort had said. He'd said her power was unique in its ability to obliterate worlds from the sky, yet keep them in-tact enough to disinterest the Darkness, make it appear as though all life had gone from the worlds and thus relinquishing them of the Darkness entirely.
But she didn't have those powers anymore. She'd bargained them away to a woman who'd crawled up and out of the sea at the first chance she got.
Elsa sighed. She hadn't noticed how close he had come, looking down at her with cold, piercing eyes that didn't match his smile. She didn't know that he was approaching her, with no intention of stopping, one hand reaching out to cup her chin until it was too late. She felt the brush of his finger against her skin and that was all it took.
Her breath hitched audibly. She jumped back, away from him, tearing her chin away from his finger, backing up so quickly she nearly stumbled over the sopping fabric of her dress. Her eyes widened. Panic spiked in her chest. Her heart pounded in her ears. Her hands abandoned their regal station at her front and rose to grasp her arms, which crossed tightly over her chest as she continued to back away, until she was standing in the green fields he'd stared off into earlier, her eyes never leaving his, watching to make sure he didn't follow.
Stop it, she told herself, suddenly realizing something. You don't have magic anymore... you can't hurt him!
Upon this realization, she quickly tried to make amends, tried to cover up her odd behaviour with her words.
"...I'm sorry," she said. "I'm... I've never been very comfortable... with people touching me. In any way. It isn't personal... I apologize."
"Tell me what it is that you are hiding that makes you afraid to be truthful about that bridge. I am no fool, Elsa and I am afraid magic is something I am quite familiar with and that bridge radiates with it. I know we’re strangers, but lying won’t get you very far, especially when you are terrible at telling the lie."
Elsa's eyes widened to their extent. She stared at him for a while, his words registering in her mind. Her eyes returned to the grassy plains beneath her feet. Wet blades joined the ensemble of debris that clung to the bottom of her dress.
She'd been found out. How, she had no idea... hadn't she given away her magic? Didn't the emptiness she felt in her chest, for once in her life, mean that she was free? How could it be that someone had managed to point their finger at her so quickly after she'd made steps to finally rid herself of her curse? How was it that no matter what she did, every time she seemed to find a solution to her problems, someone had to come and tear it all away from her again?
Did the universe simply want to see her suffer? Did she not deserve her happiness, after everything she'd been through?
Apparently not...
She didn't now what to say. He had caught her in her lie and her reaction to his touch was not going to leave him without questions. He even knew about magic, talked of how he could sense the magic radiating from the bridge she'd made. She saw the look in his eyes now, too. Cold. Dark. Calculating. All with the aid of a smirk that seemed misplaced, hanging on his lips like the paintings Anna used to tilt cockeyed for her amusement when she was a girl.
She gripped her arms tightly. Her thumbs stroked her sleeves.
"... I had magic," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Magic over ice and snow. I... I was the one who conjured that bridge."
She shook her head.
"I don't have it anymore, though."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted
|
|
|
0 posts
|
|
|
|
May 5, 2024 15:53:58 GMT -5
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2014 21:39:41 GMT -5
It was more than just a similiar feel to himself that drew the genome to the strange woman he had fished out of the sea. It was more than her catching his fancy with her odd ways and status as a Queen. There was a strange bond that had been formed upon their meeting and while Kuja could not see where it was taking them, he had to admit he was quite curious as what would bloom along this strange path he could not make out and yet was becoming more and more firm beneath his feet.
The genome didn't understand love or friendship or even companion ship. He only understood how to be alone to survive and to use things to make sure he stayed on top of everything else; however, before this strange woman, he didn't feel like playing any of his usual games or even bothering to pretend. In fact, if he had to rate his acting skills at this moment, he would say that he was failing horribly at it. 99% of what he felt and showed was genuine; however, thankfully his fake smile kept the other from reading him fully...or rather that is what he hoped. Whether she too was playing a game of her own with him to protect her own secrets, the genome was quite thankful for the respect and idle chat even if it was a bit odd trying to...what was it called again? Getting to know another?
Mmm..Yes that was the term he had heard applied to these situations and yet in all his years of living and dying not once had he actually put the term into practice. Not in a real fashion at least. Sure, he used words to win people over and even pretended to care, but this? This strange play where he was actually open with a stranger and fine about it? This...this he had never tried. Never even thought to try. The skill was useless to him at one point, but for some reason, he had latched onto this woman with ease. Perhaps it was some a desperate call from within that wanted the selfish desire of not being alone again fulfilled. Or maybe it was something more that the genome could not quite name that kept him wanting to stay at her side. Kuja wasn't sure and knew that by pondering the questions even more he would give himself a headache, so when the subject of Heartless came up, Kuja's mind switched gears and focused instead upon his hatred for the little beasts that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once.
His hate for the little creatures he shared openly with the world and the woman with him as cold blue eyes turned to the fields around him. He really did hate the little beasts and needed a way to get rid of them completely along with the strange man at the shadow of the Iifa Tree that was now destroying his home.
Annoying little rats, he thought as he felt a similar anger being aimed at the little beasts radiating from the woman shortly after she had agreed with his statement. While it was indeed comforting to know he had someone on the same page as him when it came to the plague that was the Heartless, some part of Kuja wondered just how much in line the woman was with him on the subject. He wondered, but only briefly before he pushed the thought away for the moment as he continued to steam, feeling that strange throb within increased. "Tch!" was the light sound of disgust the genome made in response to the woman's earlier words as his face twisted into one of disgust as his eyes narrowed with pure rage at the Heartless; however, luckily for the Queen the genome was much too focused on the field to notice the narrowing of her eyes or to notice the study of him she took. The study that revealed more about the genome than he knew about himself. The anger didn't show a selfish, cocky, or spoiled little child. No, the anger simply showed a man that was quite tired of the Heartless and everything else around him raking him across the coals just because they could. He was tired of being the victim or the tool. Tired of being the puppet...
The anger for his role in life burned deep within the genome and made the tug within pull harder upon his Heart. It hurt, but by some miracle Kuja managed to hide the pain under anger and then before it could get too bad, he pushed the anger away as his face became neutral and cold eyes locked upon Elsa as she spoke of her predicament.
As she spoke, the genome found the cracks in her tale and from those cracks came up with a small theory that the woman wasn't telling the truth; however, to confirm said hunch, he would need to do something to make the woman speak and confirm with her own words what he assumed to be true.
So with that in mind, the genome took on a subtle approach. He sympathized with her in a way as he spoke. He understood the annoyance of being ripped away from one's world even if he couldn't understand what it was like to be ripped away from loved ones. He didn't have any to know what that felt like. A sad fact, but maybe the lack of attachment made this whole world hopping business a bit easier on him. He had nothing that held him to Gaia, except that he saw it as his. And being his, the world was in a way protected from outside threats...or rather the ones that tried to take his job of starting all the choas. Sure, he didn't mind minor things, but major ones that also did harm upon himself? No. That wouldn't go in the genome's book, thus why he needed to find his way back home to undo whatever that shadowy Iifa Tree and the bloated fly had done to his world. While he didn't owe Gaia anything, some part of him wanted it to survive. Maybe it was so he could watch the people squirm when they found out he was back...Or maybe he wanted it to survive because he hoped that he would come back to Gaia too...
It was a confusing matter and one that Kuja never let show as he spoke to Elsa about his experiences with the black portals. When he mentioned he could open them, he heard the question from Elsa as his eyes drifted to the woman and he nodded.
"Mmm. Indeed. I can open them, but I have no way of directing which way I go," he said as he held threw his hands up slightly with a sigh as his head tilted upward in a dramatic fashion suggesting that he was a frustrated student who could not quite master a technique that should've been easy for him. In any case, shortly after this, he mentioned meeting up with the mage Elsa had said lived in the strange world of Darkness with the white castle and in turn, Elsa gave him a name.
"Master Xehanort, hm?" Kuja repeated softly as his arms folded and his head bowed in thought. The mage was a master of his art then? Well then he'd certainly be an interesting fellow to meet...but there is one tiny little problem isn't there? Why would an old man versed in magic dark in some form send an innocent child here? What is his reasoning?
The hunch from before came back fully as the genome looked up at the woman and began to approach her, his words flowing easily from his mouth as he studied the woman. He took in the tension that grew and the twitching of the hands and knew he had hit some nerve with each word; however, the woman was still hiding, but what it was she hid he wanted to know.
So as she remained distracted by her discomfort and sighed, Kuja closed the distance and reached out to cup her chin. While the action was not hurtful, the reaction was a bit surprising even for the genome. As his finger barely touched her skin, the woman took in a breath before backing away from him and pulling her chin from his reach as if he was fire.
Letting his hand dropped to his side slowly, the genome's face shifted from its neutral expression as one eyebrow rose and the other furrowed as a puzzled frown appeared on his lips. The genome tilted his head questioningly at the woman as she watched him with an expression of fear in her eyes. Had he really startled her that badly or was she afraid of something else?
The questions ran through the genome as he asked a different question of the woman....and when he had said his words, he got the confirmation he was looking for.
The woman...maybe she assumed he automatically knew it was her that had casted the bridge. Maybe she assumed he knew she had magic in her and was lying about the bridge. Assumptions not exactly true. Sure, the genome knew the bridge was magical and he knew something with magic had casted it; however, the fact that it could be the girl was only a slight possiblity. She didn't radiate with magic and could've very well been telling the truth when she said she just ended up the bridge; however, the confident words spoken by the genome were a trap to catch one in a lie and it would appear this little doll was indeed the liar.
Her reactions to his touch was questionable enough. Sure he understood some, especially women of the upper class, didn't like such actions; however, typically they'd tell him off as they backed away in anger, slapped him, or if they were really feisty, they'd allow him to perform the action while holding their ground against whatever move had been played, but to run away in fear? That was new.
So without saying much else, the genome continued to watch his strange companion, his expression softening as he nodded.
"I see. I should apologize instead, then. I shouldn't have been so bold or upfront. Please forgive me," he said with a light bow that while respectful would make the careful observer question him. Sure, he remained friendly and even seemed to be truly sorry for upsetting her, but there was something in those blue orbs as he rose from his bow that suggested the more dangerous side to the genome now that he knew something was up. It suggested a beast was hidden under the pretty face that if enticed would leap up and consume all.
Elsa's reaction to his words only intensified the danger, but luckily the girl did not try to play games with him and instead became truthful; however, instead of being cocky and triumphant like he usually was in such situations, the genome became a different sort of creature as he watched the other cooly for a moment listening to her words and watching her actions. When she was done, the genome was quiet for a moment as he considered his next move. Sure, he could be a greedy and poke her for more information. He could be the predator and back her into a corner and get what he wanted; however, the part of him that would've done that in the past did not have the same will power it used to have over him. He wasn't aiming to crush the woman, he just wanted her to be a bit more honest with him, but even so he didn't want to gain honesty through bullying, so the genome did something that surprised even himself.
Somewhat mimicking the woman's behavior, he reached up with one hand and rubbed the opposite arm as he looked away from the woman for a moment thinking and then looking over at her from the corner of his eye, he spoke.
"Ice and snow. Such pretty and deadly elements. As a mage, I would love to dig more into such a interesting power and question many things about it and yourself. I could do that all day you know?" the genome said with a light smile as his voice remained quiet and calm; however, the smile eventually faded and was replaced by one that was truly apologetic. "However, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable or to pry more than I should, so I'll do my best to leave this subject be and be a bit more mindful of my actions, Elsa," he told her honestly as he stopped bothering to try and figure out what he was doing anymore. It was easier to go with the flow.
This was confusing, but he did not want to mess up whatever this confusion was....He wanted to figure it out and maybe in the end discover something that could make him a stronger and better too.
|
|