Title: Till the Day We Die
Author: thepielady
Rating: T
Genre: Friendship, Angst
Pairing: Kuzco/Pacha friendship
Warnings: Character death
Spoilers: ENG
Disclaimer: The Emperor's New Groove is the property of Walt Disney Pictures.

Till the Day We Die

Epilogue

The day after the funeral, Kuzco walked through the halls of the palace before dinner, feeling his age in his bones. His feet brought him to the dungeons.

"Your highness," one of the guards acknowledged.

"I'm here to see her," Kuzco said. The guards unlocked the door and let him into Yzma's cell.

Kronk's new curtains were fluttering in the breeze. Yzma sat in a corner, reading the op-ed section. Her eyes narrowed at Kuzco as he walked in.

"Well well well," Yzma said. "His highness graces me with his presence." She folded her paper and threw it down on the table. "What do you want?"

Kuzco paused, searching for the words. "Yzma," he began. "How old are you?"

Yzma rolled her eyes. "Oh my, what a charming little joke your Highness."

"I'm serious," Kuzco said. He reached out and pulled a chair closer to the table. "I remember you from when I was a kid. Now I'm fifty years old and you lookexactly the same. I mean… did you drink the elixir of life? What?"

Yzma glared at him from under her beaded lashes and said nothing.

Kuzco sighed and rubbed his neck. "You know, Pacha's funeral was yesterday," he volunteered. "You remember him, right? From that whole thing where you turned me into a llama? …Yeah. Anyway… he was really… uh…" Kuzco choked on the words 'important to me.' "I'm sorry he's dead," Kuzco finished lamely. A memory occurred to him, and he laughed. "I remember – haha – I remember being so confused about him when we first met. He said there was 'good in everyone.' I thought it so dumb. Good in everyone? What a dumb thing to say. But… I guess I'm about the same age now as he was back then. And I think I get it."

He looked up, meeting Yzma's glare.

"I know you're not going to believe me," Kuzco said. "But I'm sorry things turned out this way. I was a pretty awful human being before I met him. If we hadn't met, I would have hurt a lot more people, not just you. So… yeah. I'm sorry. Curtains look nice. I'll see you later."

Kuzco rose to go.

"I don't know," Yzma said.

Kuzco blinked. "Know what?"

Yzma rolled her eyes. "My age. There was an accident in the lab when I worked for your father. Ever since then…" She spread her thin arms, as if to say 'As you see.'

"I never thought to ask," Kuzco said.

"I have no idea when I'll be dead, or if I'll ever depart this earthly realm," Yzma continued, as though Kuzco had not spoken. "As far as I know, I'll live forever." She grinned, showing all of her teeth. "And I promise you," she said. "I will get out of here and I will destroy you and take control of the empire if it's the last thing I ever do!"

Kuzco stared at her. She seemed to be waiting for a response.

Kuzco opened his mouth to reply, when a thought struck him. The echo of an old ghost, speaking behind her words: 'I hope you realize this doesn't change a thing,' the ghost said, selfish and lonely and sure of himself. 'I'm still building Kuzcotopia when I get back.'

Kuzco grinned at the memory. Yzma's smile faltered. "We'll see about that," Kuzco mused. "After all, forever is a long time. Who knows? You might change your mind."

The End