❧ ninth stanza [action]: mother of monsters

[histrionic]

[Having regained her own body, Kuja feels--not content, but herself again. For good or ill. Part of her loathes herself, but she is an egotist at heart. A self-hating narcissist.

That, however, is not as important as what she's been busy doing. While kidnapped by the pirates, Kuja had found an egg on board their ship. A familiar egg. The egg of a Silver Dragon, from her world. Since her discovery, she has been largely keeping to herself and keeping the egg warm, and her constant companion Tropius has taken over the duties whenever she is otherwise occupied.

Now, Kuja is out and about. She feels a sense of excitement. She can sense the egg will be hatching soon. Her egg. Her dragon.

She floats from place to place, accompanied by Tropius and the egg: she sits for a while outside her miniature replica Iifa Treehouse near the lake, then makes an appearance in the Orchard and at her own personal library. She's usually not so prone to make "public appearances", but she's in a good mood, for once. Sometimes the egg rests in her lap; sometimes it's cradled with care by Tropius, and sometimes it floats beside her, levitated by her magic. Wherever it is, it sparkles with blue light, warmed by Kuja's magic. She sings softly to the egg at times, and at times she reads it poetry, or excerpts from her favorite plays.

Kuja keeps an ear out for stirring inside, or the cracking of the shell. For once, preoccupied, she's not as likely to notice someone else's approach.]

Comments

[histrionic]

[Kuja returns Alessa's gaze thoughtfully, then takes the egg in her arms.]

And you. Are you nice now? Are you happy?

[mother_of_god]

[She considers the question, then nods.]

i'm glad i can be here. i'm glad God is gone.

[histrionic]

Oh yes, we're all better off without god. Or people claiming to be such.

Some people are capable of happiness, and others are not.

[mother_of_god]

[Yay, someone who agrees with her! Only... not so yay about the happiness thing.]

Why not? That isn't fair.

[histrionic]

Because that's the way it is. Existence isn't fair, it simply is.

[Sorry, Alessa.]

[mother_of_god]

There... there should be a way to make it better. People should be happy.

[histrionic]

But there isn't. Not everyone can be happy, it's a simple fact.

[mother_of_god]

[Her face tightens, and she shakes her head.]

i... i'm going to find a way. i'll make it.

[Welcome to Alessa's stubborn side!]

[histrionic]

That's impossible.

And if you made everyone happy, you'd take away their free will. Some people don't want to be happy.

[mother_of_god]

[Another shake of her head.]

i wouldn't force people. Not like God.

i'll find how to make it so everyone can be happy.