sixth stanza [anonymous text]

[existwithoutme]

How many of you are agents of death? I don't mean those who have taken a mere few lives, but those who are responsible for death on a grand scale, who have wiped out hundreds or thousands of people. Entire populations, perhaps. Worlds

Comments

voice;

[brands]

What a ray of sunshine. I bet you don't get too many invites to parties, huh?

[there's a considerable pause though, and her tone sobers after a moment.]

Every once in a while.

text

[existwithoutme]

I'm hardly going to represent myself accurately here.

Tell me, what is your nature? And what do you regret most?

voice;

[brands]

And charming, too.

My nature? Depends on who you ask. What about you, sunshine? What do you regret?

text

[existwithoutme]

You've no idea how charming I can be. [Maybe sarcasm doesn't translate well through text, but Kuja means it, nonetheless.]

I believe I've asked you.

Did I say I felt regret?

voice;

[brands]

I'm a Pulse l'Cie. Enemy of Cocoon, yadda yadda. Don't suppose you know what that is, though.

That was the implication. Or are you just asking everyone else to get us all riled up?

text

[existwithoutme]

Perhaps you could explain it in more general terms, as you know we're from many different worlds.

I don't recall implying any such thing, and you haven't answered my question about your own regrets. I ask because I'm interested. [Kuja, want to rile people up? Never.]

voice;

[brands]

A l'Cie's someone branded by the Fal'cie. A fal'Cie is...[the frown can be heard in her voice.] you might call it a god, but hell if I will. They give us a Focus, a task to complete, and we totter on along and do it like good little l'Cie, 'cause if you don't you'll be a lot worse off. [There is bitterness there, buried beneath her flippant tone of voice.]

Hold on now. You ask me a question, I get to ask you one. Sounds fair to me.

text

[existwithoutme]

Oh, I quite understand that arrangement. Is there no way to obliterate these fal'Cie? It sounds like what they deserve.

I have no recollection of entering into any such bargain, but I'll humor you.

I don't feel emotions as humans do, but there are things I've done that I now see I should not have. I was overzealous, and I caused far more destruction than was needful.

voice;

[brands]

[A faint, humorless laugh. It's more a scoff than anything else.] We're working on it.

Overzealous, huh. That's one way to put it. It may not be regret the way humans think of it, but it's a start. As for what I regret...it changes, day to day. Sometimes I wish I could've finished off the bloody job. Would've saved my family a lot of trouble. But if I had, I wouldn't have a family at all. It's hard to say.

text

[existwithoutme]

An admirable goal. Such tyrants should be felled, wherever they stand.

I'd say it's a bit overzealous to destroy a world, perhaps.

What job is it you left unfinished? Your appointed task?

voice;

[brands]

It's a bit over the top, I'd think.

That's right. [...] I've got nothing to show for it either.

text;

[existwithoutme]

It was a world that lived long past its time, at the cost of others' lives. Perhaps it was right to destroy it, but I have other things to regret.

Then have you succeeded at anything? What destruction have you caused?

voice;

[brands]

Like what?

I nearly destroyed the damn thing, but that wasn't good enough, I suppose. Got put to sleep before the job could be done right. My brand's all messed up, and some others have gotten caught up in this mess too.

[text]

[existwithoutme]

There was another world, and there, I caused wars, annihilated cities, I tried to murder my brother and his friends, and at last, I attempted to exterminate all life.

Yes, nearly isn't ever good enough. How many have died because of you? And how will you destroy your tyrant god?

voice;

[brands]

[A low whistle.] You're not too good at anger management, I take it. What the hell made you do all of that?

[She shrugs, although Kuja can't see it, and her calm, unconcerned tone masks her unease about the path this conversation has taken.] No idea. It was a while back, but I caused a lot of problems. [She's quiet for a while.] We've got no idea on how to do that either. No one's ever tried. The working plan looks to be to "hit them 'til they stop moving and go from there."

[a wry laugh.] It ain't the most inspired plan, but it's better than rolling over and doing what they want.