first stanza [video]

[existwithoutme]

[The Vine opens on a curious scene. Something has transpired in the new arrival area. A broad swath of garden has been destroyed. The scarred area is not huge, but it is not insignificant. It's not immediately clear what the cause was, but smoke is rising from the ground, and three large bears have gathered to deal with the problem

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Video

[alchemistsquery]

[A young girl appears on the mirror.] I too thought this was death. But I believe you are very much alive, as am I.

[video]

[existwithoutme]

[She turns toward the mirror, surprised for a moment by the voice and the face of the girl. Irritation flickers briefly across her face, then disappears. She is more composed when she speaks.]

Of course it cannot be death, child. That is what I meant when I spoke of death being unlike a garden. Few understand death better than I do. I know very mask it wears, and I have tasted its sharp flavor on my lips. I-- [She breaks off, abruptly deciding to abandon this line of conversation.]

Who are you?

[video]

[alchemistsquery]

I thought I had tasted death. But because I am here, maybe I was wrong.

I am Alfimi Einst.

[video]

[existwithoutme]

I know that I have, if not necessarily in the way that you mean. [A taste of death is not always fatal, for one can taste it as the bringer of death as well, but Kuja has no intention of making her meaning clear.] But it is, at last, a bitter taste. [She pauses, sorting through her thoughts.]

Perhaps we should be dead indeed, Alfimi, but we are both assuredly alive, and here, although--I do not yet know where here is. [Having had a fire and bears and disorientation to deal with, Kuja is not particularly well-informed concerning the Gardens and their purpose.] Except that it does seem to be a garden.

[She hesitates an instant before giving her name, along with a slight bow.] I am Kuja.

[body_horrible]

I'm afraid your not dead. But, you may wish you were in a little bit.

[existwithoutme]

[Kuja takes a moment to take that in, blinks, and then bursts into laughter. The laughter lasts a few more moments, and Kuja seems genuinely amused.]

I can assure you that you are completely unqualified to guess what any of my desires might be, either now or in the future.

I am aware that I am not dead. I can tell the difference between life and death--very few are better able to make that distinction. I was speaking rhetorically.

[body_horrible]

You must be pretty full of yourself to talk like that. Which makes me wonder are your you gonna ask where this place is or just keep waxing philosophy for no reason?

[existwithoutme]

If you believe I was discussing philosophy, I can but assume that you have a poor grasp of the topic. I was stating facts, no more or less.

[She doesn't like to ask for help, and she is not used to needing to ask for information. She hates being caught off guard like this, and she does not wish to be seen as weak, so she struggles to control herself. She takes a step toward the Vine and its mirror, examining it. It is interesting enough to distract her from other, less desirable thoughts. Clearly, it is projecting their images and their voices. Magic of some kind. So she is likely speaking to people who are elsewhere in this garden environment.]

You may tell me where we are, if you so desire.

[made_of_science]

Oh dear, Miss! You must be more careful; Her Highness is very particular that her gardens should not be harmed.

[existwithoutme]

[Kuja turns toward the mirror quickly.] Must I? Be careful? If this "Highness" is the one who brought me here, then it is she who should be more careful, for this-- [She waves a hand toward the scorched earth and the bears.] --was her doing, as it was a side effect of my displacement. I will not take the blame for another's incaution.

I have absolutely no desire to wreak wanton devastation upon the foliage, my dear. What a wasted effort that would be.

[Her gaze sharpens.] And who are you to speak for Her Majesty?

[made_of_science]

Still, I hear that punishments are doled out without concern for actual fault, here... The rules, though few, are quite ironclad.

Oh, I could not dare to speak for her- I simply pass along what I've learned from our fellow prisoners. Ah, but I should introduce myself, shouldn't I? [She curtseys] I am Vitalia Ruiz Asención.

[existwithoutme]

I fear no punishment. These beasts have informed me that my actions have been understood, though they were displeased with me. [She glances at the bears, a little scornfully.] So perhaps you have been misinformed.

Another prisoner, I see. Are there many here? [In a way, she is quite used to being a prisoner, but the thought of having a new prison to escape from, and so soon, is frustrating.] What are these rules you speak of?

[Kuja gives a slight bow, as she is trying, for once, to be polite.] I am Kuja.

[urbanwonderland]

[Reeve removes the pen she was holding between her teeth and slips it behind her ear-- she smiles.]

I've often though death might be a void. Though I also imagine it might be something a bit more-- sentimental, I suppose. But that's neither here nor there. I'm sorry to tell you that you're here against your will, in a kind of private preserve belonging to a being with entirely too much time on her hands. Which she'd apparently like us to fill by amusing her with our attempts at social interaction.

Of course, you may already know all this! In which case I am sorry to have rambled on. The name's Reeve, by the way. Reeve Tuesti. And you are?

[existwithoutme]

[Look, this little worm seems helpful--she corrects that thought at once. It seems to be a simple human, and so she'll treat it with politeness. She can do this.]

What death is depends on who has died, and where. Those with souls will rejoin the soul cycle, I suppose, unless impeded. [She waves a hand, as though this hardly matters to her.]

Hm, I am obviously here against my will, and I have heard some of this already, but you have presented the information rather clearly, to your credit. [She gives a little bow.] I am Kuja. [A pause. This news does not please her.] Who is this being? What do you mean by "social interaction"? [Kuja speaks the latter words almost as if referring to an unpleasant rash.]

[urbanwonderland]

[Reeve isn't offended at Kuja's tone-- arrogance, she's used to. Still smiling, she nods in reply.]

Yes well, glad to be of help! Ah, as for the rest, the being styles herself as "the Queen", but no one has had any close contact with her that I'm aware of. Apparently, she'd like us to set up a society and form attachments to each other? Couple off, I suppose you might say?

By the by, there are no men there. I might have forgotten to mention that.
The whole thing is odd, to say the least.

[existwithoutme]

[What? She is used to monarchs and their foolishness, but usually they don't--put people in preserves and attempt to make them--mate?] How disgusting. I have no interest in such matters. Cannot the Queen be destroyed?

No men? [She frowns. Not because of the thought of women pairing off, as animals are animals, are they not? At least this way there will be no infants. But the thought cuts through her confusion, reminds her again. No men means Zidane cannot be here.] I was with my brother... [She feels an unaccustomed emotion. She is not used to having emotions at all, and it bewilders her temporarily. She speaks in a murmur, as if talking to herself.] We were dying. I shouldn't be here.

[brustriese]

The Queen certainly seems to like gathering people with reasons to think themselves deceased.

[Looking past Kuja]

Took you from a battle, did she?

[existwithoutme]

Does she? Perhaps she has a cruel sense of humor. She would not be the first monarch to have that trait. [Kuja considers this new person thoughtfully.] Though I realize I am not deceased, I did have reason to believe I might be. [It does pain her to admit to this weakness, but she forces herself to say the words evenly.]

[She nods.] Yes, there was a battle. I am pleased there is someone here who can understand the danger of displacing certain persons without warning.

[brustriese]

Only being temporarily separated from my weapon saved these poor trees from a reflexive inferno.

[existwithoutme]

Fortunately, I have no desire to destroy a defenseless field of flowers. Or anything here, for that matter. [Perhaps if she says that, it will be true.] I was able to restrain myself in time. I myself am not a warrior, though I was indeed caught up in combat. [This is not entirely a lie, as it is factual in some sense, however twisted.]

[The woman's claim interests her, as strength interests her.] You are a fighter, I assume? Your weapon must be very powerful.