"I've no idea, truthfully. I don't know much about it myself. I believe Genesis knows the specifics, but we've never discussed it particularly in-depth." It's clearly a rather painful subject for Genesis, the sadistic monster that someone he loves so dearly had been reduced to. Kuja's never been overly inclined to pry, and that only makes it easier to avoid the subject.
"But no, Genesis isn't a Genome. He's from another world entirely, neither Terra nor Gaia. This place has one thing in common with the gods' war - it draws people in from any number of worlds, many bearing no resemblance to each other whatsoever. Which truly only makes the similarity of our experiences all the more improbably miraculous...or disheartening, perhaps, depending on how one looks at it. To have found in each other someone who understands so deeply is certainly a blessing...but it's quite the mixed one, when one considers that it's only possible if some cruelties are universal."
He glances sidelong at Zidane as the other man speaks of being loved for the whole of oneself, flaws and all, and there might be a flicker of a smile on his lips. In his old life, Kuja would have dismissed such words as sentimental nonsense; he'd never been loved back then, and he'd been discarded over a singular flaw - one that wasn't even truly a detriment to the work he'd been designed for. As a tool for fomenting war on Gaia, he'd certainly not disappointed; even now, Kuja isn't certain why Garland thought he needed Trance as well. (Perhaps he'd thought to turn Kuja, and eventually Zidane, into weapons of mass destruction instead...) Surely there could be no reason to tolerate imperfections in others, except perhaps that least desirable of emotions, pity.
But now...someone does love him. And there are others who like him, as well. And not even his flaws turn them aside. Instead...they continue to look on him with those same fond gazes, inexplicably.
Kuja had thought he understood human nature quite well, after decades of manipulating people as he desired. But the truth is that he'd only ever understood the worst of them...and had in fact convinced himself that was all there was. Zidane, however, knows things about human nature that Kuja had never even realized there were to learn. Only now, having experienced some of them firsthand, can Kuja recognize he's right.
"I've never truly had the opportunity to be happy anywhere else," he replies, looking forward again. "But...yes. I am happy. Not just with Genesis, but...there are a few others." Mostly Cloud, but Kuja is coming to appreciate Angeal, and has smatterings of fondness for a few others.
no subject
"But no, Genesis isn't a Genome. He's from another world entirely, neither Terra nor Gaia. This place has one thing in common with the gods' war - it draws people in from any number of worlds, many bearing no resemblance to each other whatsoever. Which truly only makes the similarity of our experiences all the more improbably miraculous...or disheartening, perhaps, depending on how one looks at it. To have found in each other someone who understands so deeply is certainly a blessing...but it's quite the mixed one, when one considers that it's only possible if some cruelties are universal."
He glances sidelong at Zidane as the other man speaks of being loved for the whole of oneself, flaws and all, and there might be a flicker of a smile on his lips. In his old life, Kuja would have dismissed such words as sentimental nonsense; he'd never been loved back then, and he'd been discarded over a singular flaw - one that wasn't even truly a detriment to the work he'd been designed for. As a tool for fomenting war on Gaia, he'd certainly not disappointed; even now, Kuja isn't certain why Garland thought he needed Trance as well. (Perhaps he'd thought to turn Kuja, and eventually Zidane, into weapons of mass destruction instead...) Surely there could be no reason to tolerate imperfections in others, except perhaps that least desirable of emotions, pity.
But now...someone does love him. And there are others who like him, as well. And not even his flaws turn them aside. Instead...they continue to look on him with those same fond gazes, inexplicably.
Kuja had thought he understood human nature quite well, after decades of manipulating people as he desired. But the truth is that he'd only ever understood the worst of them...and had in fact convinced himself that was all there was. Zidane, however, knows things about human nature that Kuja had never even realized there were to learn. Only now, having experienced some of them firsthand, can Kuja recognize he's right.
"I've never truly had the opportunity to be happy anywhere else," he replies, looking forward again. "But...yes. I am happy. Not just with Genesis, but...there are a few others." Mostly Cloud, but Kuja is coming to appreciate Angeal, and has smatterings of fondness for a few others.