Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Tantalus Grasshopper ❯ Sleep now... for tomorrow the nightmare begins. ( Prologue )

A/N: Not much to say, except that it's all Kuja's POV. ^_^ And!

// blah // = dialogue happened when stuck in that damn Tree.

Warning: This fanfic contains homosexuality and probably even male/male lovemaking in the future... Ah. We'll see how it goes. ^.~ Beware! Bad spelling/grammar and possible OOC-ness.. But oh well.. *shrugs* I'm only human.

Disclaimer: Squaresoft and Co… If you just could sign these papers that state that I'm officially the keeper and guardian of Kuja, Blank and Zidane?

Zidane: Ha! They'd rather die then do that!

S.C: How cruel. ;_;

Zidane: Heh. What else did you expect?

S.C: *eyebrow twitches*

Zidane: They're not craz-- *gets uppercut'*

S.C: T.T Shut up, monkey boy!

Zidane: @_@ Okay…

Kuja: (…Neanderthals.)

Tantalus Grasshopper

::Prologue::

Blond messed up hair, blue eyes and a cocky, confident grin. The feeling of being lifted up and being carried. It was the last thing I remembered... The last thing I saw through heavy-lidded eyes before I went out like a light.

I don't know how long I was asleep.

When I woke up, I found myself in a small room, Zidane laying me down gently. `On a rather hard mattress', I noted through my sleep-fogged mind. Zidane tucked me in, a musty old blanket covering me to prevent me from getting cold. I asked him where we were but he simply replied not to worry and that he'd take care of things. He smoothed my hair and whispered softly that I should go back to sleep and that he'd talk to me in the morning. He gave me a reassuring smile and left the small room.

But I wasn't sleepy anymore. I don't know for how long I had slept but it was clear that we were no stuck longer inside the Iifa Tree. I don't know where I was. Where had he taken me? From the looks of it, it sure wasn't my own palace in Kiera Desert.

`Go back to sleep.'

How could I? When I didn't know all the details? I felt unprepared, off guard, not knowing what was going to happen.

I was fully awake, no longer able to sleep.

And furthermore… How did he expect me.. or anyone else for that to sleep on *this*? It felt like I was lying on a piece of hard wood. How I longed for my own bed right then.. with my fluffy pillows and satin sheets and my soft-

"Hell no!!"

A loud, booming voice interrupted my train of thoughts and with eyes wide I stared at the door from where the sound had come from. Then I heard Zidane's voice, hissing to the other unknown man that he needed to quiet down. Was he afraid to wake me up? How considerate of him. However, it was too late anyway…

Silently I continued listening, unashamed of the fact that I was actually just eavesdropping.

"Do you think you can just waltz in here with *him*, expect *us* to take care of him and leave again? Why in the world have you even brought him with you?" hissed the other voice back angrily.

"What else was I supposed to do? He was injured and sick. What should I have done? Leave him to die?"

"Hm, well. Let me think… Yeah!"

They were discussing me, obviously. I don't know where he had brought me but obviously the other was not too happy about it, having the man who almost destroyed whole Gaia in his home. Not that I had expected much sympathy of course. I certainly didn't expect to be welcomed with open arms. Not after everything I did. I sighed quietly.

"Well, I'm not asking you to understand!" Zidane said, then he muttered something that sounded something like `It's not like you would anyway.' But I wasn't too sure.

"I'm just asking to do me this one favor. Come on! It's not for long. Just a couple of months or so…"

"`Just a couple of months or so'? Are you out of your fucking mind?! Hell, we just recently completed the rest of this house that thanks to that bastard got destroyed in the first place and now you want us to put up with Mr. Mad Psycho himself? What if he gets pissed off and decides to go on a rampage again?! Forget it."

"He won't! He gave me his word." Zidane replied, voice slightly indignant.

The other man laughed out loud, apparently not all that convinced. "From what I heard his word ain't that much."

I didn't know what exactly he'd heard but what he said wasn't completely untrue. In my past I had made many promises I didn't keep. But after I lost… I just started to look at things differently. And when stuck in the Iifa, and things didn't seemed all too bright...

//Zidane, this is useless. Why don't you just leave me! …It would be so much better.

Are you crazy? I've come back to save your hide, trying so hard to keep you alive and been stuck in this damn tree for what seems like forever and now you tell me... That my actions were all for nothing?! Oh no, you don't. You're coming with me even if I have to drag you by the hair. *smirk*

….

Just kidding! Jeez.

…I don't know, Zidane. There's no real purpose for me anymore in this world. I have played my part and you played yours. The evil villain is defeated and is no more. It's over. The curtains have fallen. I don't know why you just went home and lived happily ever after.

Idiot. What happens when it's curtain's fall? Doesn't everybody go back to being his or her self? They do, don't they? They go home and live as the person they really are. Not the person they acted to be. I want you to do that too, Kuja. We both played our parts. Now it's over. And let's just be our selves. Okay?

…Be our selves?

Yeah. I can be me again, the- *sigh* -unemployed ex-Tantalus member in love. And you… Well, I think you need to figure yourself out. What you like. What you want. Stuff like that.//

I remembered laughing out loud. The laugh was a bitter one.

//I don't think things will be that easy. Like I could ever show my face again… Not everyone is so forgiving as you and I bet there are lots of people who'd rather see me beheaded than alive. Am I not right?

…Yeah, well. It's understandable. You *did* cause a lot of people pain. I don't think they'd just forgive you and offer you milk and cookies. Even though I want you to live. Even though we're of the same race. I'm… still angry too about some things.

You mean, things that happened to Garnet? I'm telling you.. It's easy to blame that on me. But I told you the truth. The fat elephant-lady-//

I received a disapproving glare for that one and I decided then to use the `woman's real name but I didn't apologize. I still think of her like that and I don't think it'll ever change. She really did offend my senses. She was so... hideous. And her *personality*! Pooh! It was certainly not any better in *my* opinion.

//*Brahne*, she really was a greedy woman. She may have only acted so out of character to others the year I appeared.. but really, I only brought out what was there all along.//

Again, I got a skeptical look but I ignored it. Okay, so I had manipulated her a little bit. But it was only a little bit. If I hadn't seen that unspoken, abnormal desire of wanting in her heart... that greed inside of her, I would have easily picked another king or queen of another queen (That Burmecian rat-king for example. He was pretty rotten too.) and got what I wanted. But she specifically had it more than anyone else. Then she died… and everything was forgiven and forgotten and the blame had been put on me. I still think that was a bit unfair. But oh well.. If they wanted to be delusional.. So be it.

//I don't know, Kuja. Even if that's true. You still did a lot of other stuff. Oh well, it's in the past now. Just.. try to be a better person! That'll make all the difference.

So… for starters..

Don't hurt anybody anymore. Okay?

…

Even when you're upset or hurt or angry… I don't want you casting Flarestar or whatever just because they're being rude or mean and they piss you off! Just.. tell them to back off! Punch them if they really don't stop. Uh, just not *too* hard. You're kind of strong. Don't forget it. If you can do this.. You've come a long way already.

Plus, nobody has to know you're back. I mean.. How many have seen actually *seen* you? Unless you've been a lot under the common people.. which I doubt somehow. Plus the ones that did see you.. usually ended up dead anyway. All most people knew is that there was a guy named Kuja with silver hair that flew on a silver dragon and tried to take over the world.

Just.. stay inside for a while until things have calmed down. Well, changing your name would be wise too! And how about trying on some less revealing clothes, eh? No, no! I'm not saying there's something wrong with your clothes! But it may be a good idea if you covered yourself up, unless you want to get caught? Maybe if you're very, very lucky, after a year or some more… You'll be able to walk around like any other. *sigh*

Of course you have to avoid certain places or people. It's best…if you didn't come to Alexandria. Well, you know why.

…Zidane? Can't I just go home? Back to my palace?

Heh. And then what? Die of loneliness or do something stupid? Besides, need I remind you that you no longer have any servants to take care of certain things? Like, where are you going to get your food? How are you going to? Plus, having no one to talk to… It's wrong. You're not going back to that place. I'll take you somewhere safe. Trust me!//

He shot me one of his overconfident smiles then that made it simply impossible for me to distrust him. I felt heart-warmed for the first time. It was an unfamiliar feeling.

//And then… I'm going back to Alexandria.

To Garnet I suppose?

Yeah…

…Oh. Well, that makes sense.

Hmm hmm. Well, do you promise me?//

He pulled off his glove and offered me his pinkie with an endearing smile on his boyish face. I merely blinked, not having a clue why he just did that. I stared at the finger with a puzzled expression on my face. Then he sighed and told me to stick out my little finger too. I still didn't know what it all was about and strangely enough… I felt pretty silly but I did so anyway. His pinkie entwined mine and asked the question again.

//…I promise.

Good. Now it's an official promise between us brothers. And the promises are there to keep, eh?

…Right.//

"Ah, come on, Baku! *Please?* " Zidane almost pleaded now. "I wouldn't be asking you this if I wasn't certain of you and the others safety. I'm not asking you to treat him like a prince. If it's money you're worried about, I'll *give* him money so he can provide himself. You can even ignore him for all I care. But please, this is the only place where I trust him to be safe. I… I don't want him dead, all right? And I also want to see Dagger again, badly. But… I can't go see her until I know he's safe."

I suddenly felt very much unwanted and bad that I had been troubling Zidane like this. A part of me still couldn't believe that he was so concerned for my well-being. I almost wanted to get up and tell this (rather rude) Baku- person that he not needed to worry and that I'd leave. Until I heard a loud groan and a lot of noise like some table had just been thrown over and then it was over. It was silent again. No one spoke. Then…

"One month. He can stay here one month. I don't care what happens to him after that. He'd better have found himself a place by then. And he'd better not expect special treatment. And if he bugs me… I'm throwing him out. Destroyer or no destroyer!" He sounded like he regretted it already.

"Yeah! Thanks man! I appreciate it." Zidane replied happily. I could already imagine the victorious grin on his face.

"The others are going to hate me for this." Baku growled.

"Yeah, but don't worry. They already know that underneath the hard exterior you're just a big softy. You can't resist me, just like girls can't resist my incredible charm."

The other man grumbled something that sounded suspiciously a lot like `arrogant brat'. A few seconds later a slam of a door was heard throughout the whole room. I guessed that was *not* the answer he'd wanted to hear from Zidane. I sighed, shifting to make myself more comfortable on this small piece of wannabe bed. Then the door creaked and a person, most likely Zidane, walked in and closed the door as soft as he could, probably afraid to wake me. He turned on the light and I blinked, eyes forced to adapt to the sudden bright light. Then his eyes met mine and widened slightly in surprise. He scratched the back of his head, grinning dumbly.

"Sorry to have woken you up." He apologized.

"You don't need to apologize. I was already awake. I couldn't sleep anymore." I explained quickly.

"So you heard it all?" he replied, sitting down on the edge of the `bed' which turned out to be part of a bunk, I soon discovered.

"Yes. Zidane, you really needn't go out of your way for me." I said quickly, rising into a sitting position, arms hugging my knees.

He brushed it off. "Nah, I need to do this. But you heard the man… Don't piss him off. I know… this isn't the best situation for any of you… but it'll have to do until I've found a better solution. In the meanwhile, look out and be careful, okay? I'll be coming around ever now and then, to see how you are doing. Checking if you behave well." He winked, then grinned, shaking his head for some incomprehensible reason.

"Oh, I'll also leave you some money so you can take care of yourself. In case you don't have any. And-"

I hushed him by placing my finger against his lips and he looked up at me with wonder in his blue eyes. I felt something inside me, a feeling like many others I had never felt in my whole life. First I only knew of want and anger and the feeling of what I thought was happiness. But then I learned of despair, even a bit of sadness and now… Gratitude. And so I thanked him. Me, who had never genuinely thanked anyone in his life before. For giving me the chance to live.

Cause even though I had lost. Even though I had felt miserable. Even near death… I hadn't want to die. Not really. Nobody wants to die miserably and alone regardless of what they say.

He smiled when I had said `thank you' and gave me the thumbs up. And I, even though it was just a curve of my lips, I smiled too while many different thoughts raced through my mind.

`I don't want to let him down after all he's done for me. Like he said.. I must leave the part I've played behind and be me. So… I think I'll just do that.'

"……"

`I'm definitely going to have a talk with that man about this bed. It's awful! I refuse to sleep on it for a whole month!'

~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~~*(^_^)*~

TBC! Of course!

Whether you like it or not. Whether it's one bunch of clichés and whether I make lots of mistakes and God knows I do… I'm going to continue. So there! ::hands out tissues to shocked readers:: In case you feel like crying.

Uh, for those who thought…I know that they aren't officially brothers. ^.~

Thanks for reading anyhow!