Shadow of Fate

by Tea Diva

Set during the events of Advent Children, Sephiroth and Riku leave The World That Never Was for Wutai in the hopes of soothing the hurt from Jeanette's loss. Soon after their arrival they are caught up in Kadaj's scheme, threatening to drive them apart.

1. Chapter 1

Wutai, late at night…

Sixteen-year old Yuriko stared down at the drawn features of the little boy lying in bed, concern shining in brown eyes set in an oval-shaped face offset by dark brown hair that fell just above her shoulders. Ichiro had at last drifted into as comfortable a sleep as possible for him, and as he rested Yuriko's gaze drifted from his face to the unsightly rash on the side of his neck.

The rash, commonly referred to as Star Scar Syndrome, or Geostigma, had taken the world by storm, causing widespread panic and a race to discover a cure. No one knew how it was contracted; it seemed to simply appear without any indication the person was sick. While the disease struck indiscriminately, the majority of the sick were young children.

Yuriko laid the book she had been reading to him on the table, heaving a tired sigh. Ichiro's condition was steadily growing worse, the only comfort he received being her presence. Yuriko, who was studying to become a nurse, knew the dependence a patient had for his caretaker. The fact Ichiro was her favorite cousin only added to her determination in caring for him. It was a feat she wished her Aunt Yui had the strength to do.

Ichiro's sickness had sent Yui into a panic, and for the past two weeks all she did was cry whenever someone mentioned him. Yuriko could sympathize, even though she felt Yui should be with her son. It was a mother's duty to soothe away the hurts of her child. Yuriko's jaw set in sudden determination. No matter what excuses Yui made this night, she was going to sit with Ichiro. Now that her attention was no longer focused on him, Yuriko's body cried out for sleep.

She rose to her feet, pausing to stretch her arms above her head before turning toward the door. Just as she laid her hand on the knob she heard Ichiro shift in his bed, then his small voice whispering, "Mama?"

"I'm going to get her now, Ichiro. Just lie still and rest," Yuriko crooned, approaching the bed and brushing his sweat-dampened hair away from his forehead. Ichiro gave her a slow nod, gathering his stuffed blue chocobo closer to him. Yuriko recognized it as the one his father had brought back with him from a trip to the Gold Saucer a year ago.

"I heard it again," Ichiro murmured, closing his eyes with a sigh that reverberated through his body. Yuriko's eyes softened, even as her lips twisted into a grim line.

"The voice?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yeah…I don't like it. It…it scares me," he admitted, touching his chin to the top of his stuffed chocobo's head. Yuriko leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead, knowing it wouldn't make the voice go away but unable to do much else. She also didn't like seeing the unnatural fear in his eyes.

"It'll go away when you get better. I promise," she whispered. Ichiro gazed up at her with trust in his eyes, and she had to turn away before her tears betrayed her. It didn't matter that a cure had not been discovered yet. Ichiro was going to get well.

Yuriko left the room, making sure to keep the door open a crack before walking on. Upon exiting the hallway she came across the living room, where her aunt and uncle sat in front of the small shrine to Leviathan. Yui's eyes were closed on tears, her hands wringing around the other as she held them up to her face. Her uncle Hajime looked over his shoulder at hearing her take another step, his expression weary.

"How is he?" Hajime asked. Yuriko settled onto the couch, laying her hands on her knees. She sat with shoulders slumped and sighed.

"He was able to sleep a little bit before. Aunt Yui, he was asking for you," Yuriko said, looking at her. She murmured soundlessly, then slowly lowered her hands. Yuriko couldn't remember not ever seeing Yui smile, but when she turned her attention to her niece Yuriko pulled in a breath. Ichiro's sickness had taken its toll on her, stress worrying the corners of eyes dulled with weariness. The way she sat, shoulders drooping, head hanging low and hands laid flat against her thighs, Yui looked nearly three times her true age. After a moment she gave a slow nod.

"Thank you so much for looking after him, Yuriko. You can rest now. I will go to Ichiro," she declared. Yuriko smiled wearily, glad that Yui realized just how important her presence was to Ichiro, then leaned back. Her eyes slid closed, and she emitted a sigh that caused all the muscles in her body to relax. She heard Yui walk past her and down the hall, the creak of Ichiro's door when she pushed it open.

A moment later Yui let out a terrible scream, causing Yuriko to jerk upright as if she had been shocked. Hajime scrambled to his feet, racing down the hall and into Ichiro's room. Yuriko managed to command her weary body to do the same, adrenaline temporarily chasing away her fatigue. When she burst into Ichiro's room she saw Yui standing by the bed, the covers held tightly within her hands. She was shaking the material as if she expected Ichiro to manifest from the folds. Yuriko spared a glance for the empty bed, then looked toward the window at feeling a cool breeze waft into the room. She raced toward it just as Hajime went to embrace the sobbing Yui.

Yuriko leaned out of the window, her eyes searching the immediate area as she called for Ichiro. She scanned the trees, homes and paths in view several times until all at once she saw Ichiro. He was strolling down the path that lead out of Wutai, stuffed chocobo dragging in the dirt behind him, his head angled up at the tall, slender figure walking beside him. The figure, who held Ichiro's hand with all the concern of an older sibling, looked down at his small charge. Yuriko gasped softly. The figure possessed long, silver hair and was dressed entirely in black. There was only one other man she knew of who fit that description, but he had been missing for years.

"Do you see him?" Hajime asked, interrupting Yuriko's thoughts. She gave a curt nod. Yui was beside her in an instant, nearly pushing Yuriko out of the way as she shouted for her son. Yuriko sidestepped her frantic aunt, gazing out the window from the other side, eyes wide in disbelief.

Ichiro and the man stopped at the end of the pathway, their figures cast in an outline of white light generated from a pair of headlights. The headlights belonged to the two motorcycles situated around a pick up truck that sat idle, Yuriko seeing the shape of two more men materialize from the shadows. They converged on the one who held Ichiro's hand, the shortest of the three glancing down and smiling ever so slightly.

The long haired man turned to Ichiro and knelt down in a slow, majestic motion, slender hands coiling around the boy's waist. He lifted him up, holding him slightly above him, head titled in what appeared to be an appreciative manner, before placing him in the back of the waiting truck. Ichiro hugged his stuffed chocobo to him, glancing around with excited eyes, as if his walking off with complete strangers was perfectly natural.

Hajime swore under his breath and darted from the room, Yuriko hearing his footsteps pounding on the wooden floor before the front door was thrown open. Hajime shouted to the men as he ran past the house, Yuriko holding fast to her aunt as Yui continued to sob Ichiro's name. Hajime was about halfway to the waiting truck when a gunshot echoed in the night, startling both women. Yui wrenched herself free from her niece, screaming for her husband and son as she ran out of the room.

Yuriko found herself rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed not on the sight of her uncle on one knee, but the three slender figures. The shortest of them all stood in front of the truck, shoulder-length silver hair cascading around his face. He turned in Ichiro's direction, leaning forward to listen to whatever the boy told him before he drew back and smiled. When he turned his gaze toward Yuriko she sucked in a breath. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be!

The phrase kept looping in her mind even as she watched other children be loaded into the truck, their parents dashing from their homes, voices crying out in shock, anger and concern. Yuriko finally found her voice long after the men had gone, leaving behind sobbing mothers and confounded fathers, the single word she spoke a raspy whisper of disbelief.

"Sephiroth…?"

---

Traverse Town…

The shadow that soared up the side of the clock tower belonged to the figure in black, his movements as agile as they were accurate as he touched down on one ledge, only to launch himself toward another. He scaled the tallest tower until reaching the top at last, perfectly balanced on the edge before dropping to the rooftop. The waning light from the sunset caused his hair to glimmer with a blue-gray sheen when he turned his head, the wind catching the ties of the blindfold he wore. In spite of the presence of the blindfold, his sight was not impaired. His reasons for wearing it were far deeper than what others could ever hope to understand.

"Father?" called Riku, glancing around. He placed the container he had been holding- items he had collected while utilizing his new ability to travel through worlds- and walked toward the center of the roof. When Riku left earlier in the day Sephiroth had already gone, and this was usually the place he'd retreat to. It was becoming more common for Sephiroth to go off on his own, and the reason for it worried Riku.

Soon after their reunion Riku expressed his desire to find his friends. He wanted to reunite with them, and now that he had his father back he wished to begin living a normal life again. Sephiroth had admitted to the same thing; thus they left together, coming upon several worlds before reaching Traverse Town. It was here that Sephiroth fell into a sort of melancholic state, one he succumbed to more and more as time went on. He knew what was going through his father's mind, even though Sephiroth never spoke a word. Riku long ago learned to recognize evidence of what his mother often described as 'falling into a fever', and if he didn't do something soon Sephiroth would be overcome by his own despair.

Riku's forward progress took him to the opposite side of the clock tower, and he released a soft sigh at seeing his father. Sephiroth sat on the far edge, head angled down at the object in his hands. The wind sifted through Sephiroth's long, silver hair, its surface shining brighter than Riku's own, the twin bangs concealing Sephiroth's upper face in shadows. The single navy wing curled around his right shoulder, the breeze causing the glistening feathers to tremble delicately. The wing, much like the state of Riku's eyes, had become an unspoken understanding between them, one that was neither questioned nor pitied. It simply was.

Riku's gaze fell to the small leather bound book his father was reading, recognizing it instantly as one of his mother's journals. Riku didn't remember how Sephiroth had acquired them, but ever since they'd become a part of him as commonplace as his great sword. The sword in question lay behind Sephiroth, forgotten for the time being.

Riku slowly approached his father, the familiar awe of disbelief combined with respect coming over him. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that the face in the photograph was truly with him. There were instances when Riku swore he'd wake up alone somewhere, his interactions with Sephiroth nothing more than a memory, or a wish forever left unfulfilled.

"I'm still amazed by how much strength your mother had. She faced incredible odds and triumphed," Sephiroth said the moment Riku stood beside him, his voice soft. Riku nodded slowly, grateful that his father was speaking. The last time he had come across him like this Sephiroth's silence had been an impassable wall.

"She inspired me a lot. Even though I knew she missed you she never let me see her sad. I guess she knew that by doing so I wouldn't benefit from it," Riku replied, settling onto the ledge next to Sephiroth and draping his hands over his lap. Sephiroth flipped through the journal, which Riku noticed was well thumbed, then indicated a passage.

"'Last night Riku offered to give me the photograph of his father and I, saying it would help me sleep better. I told him it wasn't necessary, but later on, right after he fell asleep, I went into his room and took it. I stood in the hallway and cried for the next few hours…only when I'm alone can I express my grief. I can never let Riku see me sad,'" Sephiroth read solemnly. Riku, who had also read the journals, glanced away. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, then spoke.

"I promised her I'd find you so we'd all be together again. That's why I always asked about you, since I knew talking about you made her smile. Mom was very beautiful when she smiled," Riku added, his expression softening as he imagined Jeanette's face. The slight creak of leather drew his attention, Riku seeing that Sephiroth's hands had tightened on the book. He decided to be honest.

"Father, I can't help but notice how melancholy you've become ever since we arrived here. You were so happy before we left. You often spoke of what you wanted to do once we found my friends. What changed that?" Riku asked softly. Sephiroth lifted his head, gazing out into the red-pink-gold of the sunset. Riku caught a glimpse of his father's eyes, unable to keep a wince from his face at seeing the aching sadness present in them.

"Your friends are on those islands where…where her grave is. I cannot see it again, not so soon," Sephiroth began. He glanced down at the journal once again, running his fingers over the surface. "Jeanette is still very much alive to me."

Riku fell silent, knowing that Sephiroth spoke of the same things he once thought when he was young. He recalled her funeral, when he stood alone over the opening in the ground and clutched a single flower in his hand. It had all been very surreal for him, but the time spent with Sora, Kairi, and his adopted parents helped heal the pain of her loss. Sephiroth had only just discovered what happened to Jeanette, so Riku understood what his father was going through. He just didn't want to watch Sephiroth sink any deeper into sorrow.

"Maybe you need to reconnect with your other memories of her. All you've been thinking about are the sad ones," Riku pointed out. Sephiroth continued to stroke the surface of the journal, as if it were an animal that needed soothing. Riku kept talking, his suggestion forming a definitive idea in mind.

"Mom wrote about the place where she lived before Destiny Islands- what was it called? Wutai, right? Why don't we go there? Maybe all you need to see is the places that are familiar to you, so it'll help you feel better," Riku finished. Sephiroth's hand stopped on the center of the journal, his fingers barely concealing the title. The wind stirred, brushing back his bangs to reveal eyes filled with sadness, and what Riku deduced was indecision.

"Return to that place…can I face all those memories that wait for me?" he wondered in a soft voice. Riku laid his hand on Sephiroth's arm. The gesture drew his father's attention, Riku nodding slowly at Sephiroth's inquisitive gaze.

"You won't be going there alone, Father. You don't have to decide now, but please think about it. Your happiness is important to me," Riku confessed. Sephiroth's tortured features softened as a small, appreciative smile tugged at his lips.

"Thank you, Riku. I will consider it," he said, warmth in his voice. Riku smiled broadly, his heart filling with happiness once again at having his father back in his life, then rose to his feet.

"I was able to find some food and other supplies earlier. I'm going to return to the house now, but later on can you help me improve my sword technique?"

"Certainly," Sephiroth said, a real smile highlighting his ice blue eyes. Riku smiled again, thanked his father before turning on his heel and walking down the ledge. He lifted the container, securing it under his arm before leaping over the edge, freefalling toward the next rooftop. As he fell he closed his eyes, smiling in anticipation at where he and his father would go next. Whether it was to Wutai or another world, it didn't matter. Just as long as they were together.

---

Alone again Sephiroth returned his gaze to the journal in his hand, his eyes lingering on the title. His son was nearly as perceptive as Jeanette had been when it came to his feelings. There was very little Sephiroth could hide when confronted with Jeanette's violet eyes. It appeared to be the same with his son.

Upon his arrival in that empty city his joy at being with Riku had become paramount to him. He had been given a chance to reconnect with the child lost to him all those years ago, and although he had aged far more than Sephiroth's memory was able to recall, it didn't matter. For all that fate had put them both through, it had seen fit to return them to one another.

Their bond had taken a great leap when Sephiroth presented the charm Kairi had given him, and as Riku cradled it within his hands Sephiroth saw tears glistening on his cheeks. Riku had then told Sephiroth what happened to him, father gently embracing son when the tale was over. It was only when Riku started speaking of Jeanette that Sephiroth's pain began all over again. Even as he suffered he envied Riku's easy ability to speak openly about Jeanette. His son's heart had been healed against that memory. Sephiroth's was still raw and bleeding.

One of the few respites Sephiroth truly enjoyed was the sparring matches he had against Riku. In those moments of battle, when the mind, body and soul were focused on the flow of combat, Sephiroth was able to forget his pain. He knew Riku was possessed of fine abilities, but he did not realize just how fine they were.

Riku's movements were lightning fast, and sometimes wildly unpredictable. It was as if Sephiroth were looking at himself when he was Riku's age, and found the same awe enter his mind that he was certain his teachers felt back then. While Sephiroth's skills were directly stemmed from the Jenova and Mako infusion within, Riku had taken that a step further. Sephiroth's lips formed a grim line across his lower face as he recalled the first time he saw Riku utilize that ability.

It hadn't happened during a spar. The Heartless- the strange black creatures that seemed to linger in every corner of the worlds they visited- actively sought Riku out. They had swarmed upon both father and son, more appearing for every one they defeated until Riku tapped into the power of darkness.

Encased in a black aura, his empty, yellow-hued eyes blazing, and a second Keyblade in hand, Riku decimated all the Heartless in an eyeblink. Sephiroth had watched the display in stunned silence, a part of him realizing just why it had been so important to keep Riku safe from those who wanted to use him. Hojo had only been the first. As he tended to Riku, weakened from using the power after the battle concluded, he vowed that no one would ever use either of them again. Jeanette had felt the same way.

Jeanette… Sephiroth's eyes slid shut as he recalled her face for the umpteenth time. Reconnect with his memories, Riku had said. He gave a deep sigh that reverberated throughout his entire being. Admittedly most had been focused on being apart from her, and what he did afterwards. His throat tightened, and Sephiroth immediately banished the memory of Nibelheim. He could not think about that, not now.

He brought Jeanette's face back to mind, drawing on the strength of what they shared to alleviate the shame of what he did. There were so many good memories of her…why should he dwell only on the negative? Yes it would hurt, oh how it would hurt, to return to places Jeanette had once been, but he had to do it. And Riku was right about one other thing- Sephiroth would not be going there alone. Perhaps it was exactly what he needed. To go to that house, to remember when he had just been a man and not a monster…yes, he would go.

Resigned to his decision, Sephiroth rose to his feet. He tightened his hold on Jeanette's journal before slipping it into his pocket, then turned away. It felt as if she was giving him silent encouragement, and with that in mind Sephiroth started back toward the house.

---

Wutai, a few days later…

Father and son stood on a plateau overlooking the mountain town bathed in the red-orange glow of the sunset. They had arrived not too long ago, passing through the exact same door Jeanette had described in her journal. Sephiroth's memories had taken control the moment he set foot outside the opening, revealing images of his desperate flight the day she disappeared. A quick glance at the interior of the cave saddened him more; this had also been one of the caverns he had searched. Still, looking back now, even if he had found the doorway there wouldn't have been anything he could do. He could have used every ounce of his power on it and it never would have yielded to him.

Riku had fallen silent, as if understanding his father's need to collect himself. Sephiroth knew it wasn't that at all. In fact, he was certain Riku was experiencing a sort of awe all his own; this was the world he had been born in but had no memory of. That much was evident in the way Riku stared down at the homes neatly arranged below, his hand clenched tightly around the handle of his Keyblade. Sephiroth pushed aside his own memories, both positive and negative, and focused instead on Riku. He would have to be the one to guide him through this.

"I was born here, wasn't I," Riku said, breaking the silence that had held them in thrall. Sephiroth folded his arms across his chest and gave a slow nod. His eyes fell to the single house set at the base of the Da-Chao Mountains.

"Yes. If you look to the east you can see the house your mother lived in," Sephiroth replied, indicating it. Riku turned his head in the direction of the house, Sephiroth able to see him swallow uneasily.

"It's so odd. I always knew Destiny Islands wasn't my true home, and I often dreamed of the sort of connection I'd feel once I returned here. I feel…nothing," Riku said, his tone sorrowful.

"You may have been born here, but it is not where you grew up."

"What about you, Father? Where were you born?" Riku asked, looking over at Sephiroth. He shook his head.

"I'm not sure. No one told me where. I grew up in a city called Midgar."

"That name sounds familiar…oh! It's the city Mom mentioned a few times in her journal. She worked there as a head nurse in charge of- of-"

"The SOLDIER program," Sephiroth supplied bitterly. Riku regarded him, curious.

"What was that?" he asked. Sephiroth glanced at the sun, determining how much time they had until nightfall. He had no intention of walking around Wutai in broad daylight, not after what he did.

"I'm assuming Jeanette didn't talk much about it. I suppose she wouldn't, since she never saw me as the SOLDIER commander. I was simply the man she loved," Sephiroth began, his expression growing sad. He gave a sigh, then continued with the story. He spoke of how he grew up in a dispassionate voice, reflecting what little importance it held to him. He had just finished describing how he had gone through extensive schooling and training when he mentioned the scientists.

"You were being observed by scientists? How come?" Riku interrupted. Sephiroth hesitated a moment, then decided to be honest about the truth of his birth. What he did not reveal was the role Jenova played in his creation. He could not burden his son with that, not just yet.

"I was the product of research that dealt with strengthening and improving the human body. I was, in essence, the perfect soldier," Sephiroth murmured. Riku glanced away, the wind stirring his hair about his shoulders.

"So, that's why I'm the way I am," he said softly. In that instant Sephiroth wished above all else he were just a normal man. The sorrow he heard in Riku's voice hurt, and he turned the conversation to how he first met Jeanette, once again relying on her memory to empower him.

The tension eventually melted from Riku, who chuckled as Sephiroth described Jeanette's haphazard appearance that one morning in the elevator, adding his own comments about how his mother almost always overworked herself. Sephiroth smiled in agreement. He gazed heavenward, his mind turning to the day in the training dojo.

"I admit I was surprised that she practiced martial arts. She kept insisting she wasn't in shape, but her techniques, though a little rough, were refined. During the exercise I suffered from a severe allergic reaction, and I would have died if not for Jeanette. She saved more than my life that day. Only later did I learn just how important that act had become, for I found myself thinking of her more and more. I had never met anyone like her," Sephiroth finished, his eyes shining with the memory of her. He saw Riku nod out of the corner of his eye, a content smile on his face.

"Mom wrote about how you met, but hearing it from your point of view completes the picture I used to imagine. She also told me I only behaved for you," Riku added. Sephiroth's laugh was hearty, and in the silence that followed he realized he hadn't laughed like that in a long, long time.

"That's true, as far as I could tell. Regrettably, I only saw you every once in a while," Sephiroth replied, his smile fading. All that time apart from her and his son, running around the world on Shinra's behalf- why hadn't he left sooner? Sephiroth tried to grasp the happiness of his memories, only to see them slip through his fingers as his anger at himself surfaced.

"There's just one thing I don't understand. Why did she come here? What made her leave Midgar? She never mentioned it in her journals, nor whenever we spoke of it," Riku remarked, looking up at his father. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed slightly as a muscle worked in his cheek.

"The answer to that lies in one word: Hojo," he replied, the professor's name like a vile curse slipping past his lips.

"Hojo?" Riku echoed, confused.

"He was Shinra's top scientist, a leading researcher in genetic engineering. He oversaw my growth as a child, but I never knew him apart from that. He was harmless as far as I was concerned. Only when he dared involve Jeanette in his schemes did I see the threat he presented. He arranged for your mother to conceive against her wishes, and that was why she left." Sephiroth paused to look over at his son, who appeared awestruck.

"Do you know what he would have done? He would have kept her locked up for the duration of the pregnancy, performing tests on you while you were still in the womb, all the while keeping me in the dark. All because he was interested in what sort of child would come from me. You, Jeanette, and I were nothing more than research material to him," Sephiroth finished in a low hiss. Riku's mouth twisted into a partial snarl, revealing a glimpse of his clenched teeth. His hands balled into fists so tightly Sephiroth heard the leather of his gloves creak.

"He- he would have done that to her? That's unacceptable!" he snarled. Sephiroth looked away, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"I wanted to kill him for what he did, but my hands were tied. Jeanette's only protection lay in the power of my position, forcing me to spend months apart from her and you at a time. Even though I arranged for a close friend to keep watch it didn't ease my conscience. Hojo tried everything, even confronting me directly. He failed at every turn," Sephiroth explained in a rigid voice.

"But how did he find us?" Riku demanded. Sephiroth gave a deep sigh and shook his head.

"I wish I knew. Not a word was passed my way, and no one saw either of you again." Sephiroth paused, wincing against the memory of walking into the empty house. "Your disappearance devastated me."

A long silence followed his statement, broken when Riku placed a hand on his father's arm. Sephiroth turned his gaze back to his son, and although he could not see Riku's eyes he knew they were reflecting his concern.

"Mom was afraid something terrible would happen when you found out we'd gone. What…what did you do?" Riku asked in a whisper.

Sephiroth had to look away, not wanting Riku to see the pain in his eyes. To answer that question would mean admitting the terrible crimes he committed. It would mean explaining his fall into madness, his desire for vengeance conquering even death, and Jenova. How could he ever summon the courage to confess to that?

Sephiroth suddenly flinched as a sharp pain exploded within his mind and forced him to hold his forehead. Brief images flashed behind his eyes, bright, cutting scenes filled with deep feelings of resentment, anger and betrayal. Sephiroth immediately recognized the scenes and attempted to banish them, but they only pulled him in deeper. The strange pain associated with the memories blocked out all thought, as well as his surroundings, and he was helpless against it.

He saw himself standing in the center of Nibelheim, bloodied Masamune in hand and the scent of burning homes and flesh permeating the air. A cruel smile lit his orange-hued features as he surveyed his handiwork, his eyes glittering with madness. A resident approached him, shouting incoherent words before Sephiroth's blade silenced the man by slicing him neatly in two. Sephiroth stood above the man's lower half, gaze softening for the briefest of instances when he turned his attention to the north. He then walked away, vanishing into the distance. Flames rose up then, Sephiroth hearing the words, Take back what is ours, echoing in the distance.

"Father!" shouted another voice, the sound overwhelming the hushed whisper of the previous one. Sephiroth focused on that, driving the terrible images of Nibelheim from his mind. When at last he opened his eyes he breathed a sigh of relief.

Gone was the sight of burning buildings; all he saw was the vivid mountain range cast in violet shades from the oncoming dusk. He fixed his gaze on the tall pagoda in the distance, unable to recall when he had dropped to his knees. A hand rested upon his shoulder, the pressure so great he could feel it through the metal of his shoulder guard. He used this contact to help further anchor him in reality, and he looked up. Riku was leaning over him, his eyebrows raised in an expression of concern.

"Are you all right? You suddenly went pale and fell to the ground. I had to keep you from falling over the edge," he said, worry in his tone. Sephiroth swallowed, then gave a slow nod.

"I'll be fine, Riku. I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"Was it remembering what you did after we disappeared? I'm sorry, Father. I should have known better than to ask you that, especially when we're here to remember the good times," Riku said, bowing his head. Sephiroth reached up to touch his son's hand where it lay on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"I will tell you about what I did, Riku. I promise," Sephiroth said, ashamed that he was postponing the issue but left with no other alternative. Riku nodded to his father's words, then offered his hand. Sephiroth let him help him to his feet, grateful for Riku's support when Sephiroth stumbled slightly. The sun had vanished behind the horizon by now, enveloping the countryside in darkness. Sephiroth nodded.

"Let's go down to the house."

---

The house was a single level, built in the fashion of Wutai with some western touches. It possessed an elegant simplicity that spoke perfectly of the woman who once lived there, and the memory of her stabbed at his heart. To combat that Sephiroth imagined the house under full sunshine, treading the same path he had walked beside her in years past. The picture presented exactly what Sephiroth felt at that time, something he never thought he'd experience if not for her. He was complete.

But it didn't last, did it? They left you alone, just as you've been all your life. Unlike her, I will never leave you.

Sephiroth sharply glanced over his shoulder, pulled from his peaceful reverie by the strange voice. It was vaguely familiar and quite alien at the same time, and he began to feel uneasy. He glanced at Riku walking steadily beside him, the hood of his outfit pulled down to reveal the gray-blue shine of his hair. As if sensing Sephiroth was watching him, Riku looked up and offered a smile. Sephiroth returned it, albeit slightly, but it was enough to drive away his unease.

A wind that came from the west swept over them, causing the chimes suspended in the house's alcove to ring. The chimes caught Riku's attention, and he walked toward them with some haste. He lifted a gloved hand, cradling the silver rendition of Leviathan in his palm. The long, tubular bells draped over his hand, gleaming against the darkness of his glove.

"So, these are the chimes Mom mentioned in that one passage," he murmured to himself. Sephiroth knew just what passage Riku spoke of and glanced downward. If only he had known the truth sooner. The lack of closure from that turbulent time had helped unhinge his mind.

"It's hard to believe I'm actually here," Riku went on, interrupting Sephiroth's thoughts. He watched Riku study the chimes, all at once seeing him as the little boy he used to be. Fate had chosen to pit them both against forces beyond their control, and they emerged changed due to it. However, where Sephiroth sometimes felt he was lost in shadows, Riku was more like sunlight trapped in drifting storm clouds; his light had not been completely extinguished.

"I never thought you'd see this house again, either. I only wish your mother was here."

"But she is. Can't you feel it, Father?" Riku said, the light Sephiroth had mused about coming to the surface in the way his son smiled. Sephiroth's answer was a slow nod of agreement, then he joined Riku beneath the alcove.

Riku entered the house first, passing over the threshold without hesitation. He paused long enough to lean his Keyblade against the wall, then remove his boots before stepping onto the landing. He remained in the center of the floor, his head moving left to right before he said, "Someone's been here recently."

Sephiroth entered, removed his boots and rose onto the landing to stand beside Riku. He saw that his son had been correct. There was a faint trace of incense in the air, the sticks responsible having been set up on the windowsills. The windows themselves were open, letting in the fresh air. Another scent caught Sephiroth's attention, instantly pulling him into a memory of Jeanette. Potted jasmine was situated in the front hallway, and appeared to be well cared for. Sephiroth's face fell slightly at realizing that it had been tended to in the event that Jeanette would return. If only…

As Riku walked further inside, his strides taking him to the living room, Sephiroth turned his attention to the hallway leading to the kitchen. A small table was propped by the wall, where candlesticks had been arranged. A single plate was situated between the two candles, a book of matches beside it. Sephiroth crossed over to the table and picked up one candle, followed by the matchbook. He lit it, using its flame to ignite the second candle, then took hold of both before heading back to the living room. Riku had taken a seat on the couch, which had been draped in a white sheet, an open book on his lap. He looked up when Sephiroth entered, the older man able to see streaks of tears on the other's face.

"I remember this," Riku said softly, holding the book up. Sephiroth saw that it was a child's pop-up book, one he recalled reading to Riku several times. Sephiroth placed the candles on the coffee table, taking note that the surface was not dust covered, before glancing at his son again.

"You didn't expect to be affected by the memories in this house, did you," Sephiroth murmured. Riku gave a slow nod. He turned the page of the book, a cartoon of a little boy leading a chocobo popping up on the right side.

"It's strange. When I first came into this room I remembered nothing. I don't even know what it was that drew my attention to this, but as I looked through it a faint memory came to mind."

"What was it?" Sephiroth asked gently. Riku flipped through the rest of the book, as if his hands needed something to do. He sniffed slightly.

"A rainy day, I was sick I think…it's not too clear. But what I remember is you reading this to me," Riku explained, looking up at his father.

"That was one of the only times you ever took ill. It turned out to be an allergy, which actually made your mother and I happy. We were so afraid that your immunity to usual childhood diseases would separate you from the others."

"Because of what you went through," Riku interpreted. Sephiroth nodded slowly. Riku heaved a sigh, then rose to his feet. He replaced the book, lingering in front of the bookcase for a long moment before glancing over his shoulder.

"Can you show me my room?" he asked. Sephiroth chose to ignore the brief flash of memory the last time he was in Riku's room. Instead he took both candles, handed one to Riku and gestured for him to follow him. The two walked across the living room in silence, crossing over into the doorway that had been left partially open. Sephiroth entered first, going as far as the opposite wall before turning to face the doorway. Riku stood there, the flickering candle casting shadows on his pale, drawn features before he walked in.

The room was exactly the same, except someone had arranged the discarded toys Sephiroth remembered into a row below the window. Traces of incense also lingered here, Sephiroth seeing the partially lit sticks on the windowsill. Curiosity furrowed his brow as he placed his candle there. Who among the people at Wutai would do this? He wished he could remember.

His attention was drawn to Riku again, who stood before the crib like a statue carved in onyx. The candle trembled slightly in his hand, testimony to the churning emotions within, before Riku placed it on the small table topped with a lamp.

"Father, if we had stayed here, how old would I be?" he asked softly.

"Nine or ten," Sephiroth replied after a moment. Riku said nothing. He made a slow circuit around the room, taking in everything before returning to the crib and reaching inside. He pulled out a small stuffed bear, turning it slowly in his hands. He shook his head.

"Back on Destiny Islands I was told I was advanced for my age. It'd be the same way here too," he murmured. Sephiroth saw where Riku's train of thought was headed and sighed.

"You would have been hounded by the scientific community, just as I was. In a way, I'm glad you were spared that fate," Sephiroth admitted. Riku rounded on his father, the stuffed bear clasped tightly within his hands.

"But look at what it cost! It might not have been an easy life but at least we would have been together," Riku exclaimed, Sephiroth able to hear the sob in his voice. He crossed over to where Riku stood, laying his hands on his son's shoulders. Riku hung his head.

"It wasn't fair…none of it. Mom- she was so sad, even when she was happy. I just wanted to make her happy," he sobbed. Sephiroth gently pulled his son into his arms, tears entering his eyes when Riku dropped the bear and held fast to him.

"Never think for an instant you didn't make your mother happy, Riku. You were her life," Sephiroth whispered. Riku shook his head.

"No, you were. I know looking at me sometimes hurt her, since I look so much like you. I was a constant reminder of what she lost-"

"Riku," Sephiroth interjected, pulling away from his son and looking down at him. Riku's head pressed against Sephiroth's chest, his gloved hands clenched in the material of his father's coat.

"Your mother sacrificed everything to ensure your safety, even my place in her life. Would you trade your memories on Destiny Islands for anything else? Do you regret meeting Sora and Kairi?" Sephiroth asked, his hands tightening on Riku's shoulders. Riku froze for an instant, then looked up. Slowly he shook his head.

"No. Never," he whispered. Sephiroth nodded, then welcomed Riku's embrace. They stood there for a few moments, gathering strength from one another, before Riku's muffled voice broke the silence.

"Sora and Kairi…mean everything to me. You do, too, Father. I'm not alone anymore," he murmured. Sephiroth tightened his hold on his son, silently conveying he felt the exact same way. Eventually Riku pulled away, removing his blindfold to wipe at his eyes before replacing it. Once it was secured he looked up at his father, nodding.

"Can you tell me more about the time you and Mom spent here?" he asked. Sephiroth, although remembering those instances would bring a rush of heartache to him, agreed without hesitation. He was determined to make the effort of reconnecting with those memories, for he'd never know peace otherwise.

In response Sephiroth settled onto the floor, moving aside the bear Riku dropped earlier. Riku followed his example, sitting cross-legged opposite his father, hands draped over his lap as he waited. Sephiroth took a deep breath, steeling himself against the onslaught of emotion he anticipated, before speaking.

"Jeanette quickly adapted to life in exile, behaving as if the circumstances that brought her here were completely normal. She continued to astound me, and I grew to love her more. When you were born everything changed, yet remained the same…"

---

A few hours later Riku expressed his desire to walk around town, as if somehow wanting to recapture the daily life his mother once had. Sephiroth did not refuse him; he only cautioned that Riku remain hidden. Riku had agreed, knowing that his reappearance in the village would cause some alarm, then vanished into the night. As for Sephiroth, he retreated to the room where he and Jeanette spent so many nights loving one another. He needed to capture the serenity her presence inspired in him, for he felt emotionally, physically and mentally drained.

Like the rest of the house, Jeanette's bedroom was in exactly the same state as he remembered, except the closet was empty and the futon had been rolled up. Sephiroth unraveled it, stretching out onto the mat after removing his coat and shoulder pads. He lay on his back, arms folded over his middle and eyes gazing heavenward. Memories…so many memories were here, within and without, each one a sweet encounter after another.

He could still hear her joyous laughter, followed by the feel of her arms around him when he stepped into the room on yet another lengthy visit. They had kissed each other until both were breathless, pulling away long enough to regain their senses before embracing once more. In that instant he felt the pressure of her lips on his, the gentle touch of her hands as they caressed his skin, the throaty whisper of his name in the throes of passion. Sephiroth rolled onto his side, closing his eyes as his body responded to his memory. It was an exquisite pain, one he readily embraced even as remembering it scorched him. He doubted he would ever stop feeling the ache of missing her, even if he had a hundred years to heal. One does not forget a woman as rare, as understanding, as Jeanette.

Soon the ache began to fade, replaced by the tranquility he had sought in the first place. As he lay there he could almost feel her arms around him, her body molded against his and voice whispering endearments into his ear. A smile tugged at his lips, and he unconsciously reached over his shoulder to twine his fingers with hers. Silent joy soared up inside him when he felt a warm, inviting hand take his. The fingers gently stroked Sephiroth's skin, the touch reassuring him.

"Yes, Sephiroth…everything will be fine, now that you have returned to me."

Sephiroth furrowed his brow at the spoken words, when all at once it felt as if he were being dragged into an abyss of pain, sorrow, anger, and something else, something he feared most of all.

Madness.

---

Riku strolled down the paths winding through Wutai, taking in the peaceful tranquility of the night. He could do this with perfect unconcern thanks to his ability to blend with the shadows, so he behaved as if he were the only one in the village.

The echo of running water comforted him, and he found himself missing the sound of water crashing against the surf. It was something he had taken for granted back then, since his entire mind was focused on leaving. A rueful smile tugged at his lips. He never thought he'd miss Destiny Islands as much as he did now. He longed to go back there, to see his friends again, and to visit his mother's grave. Only this time he'd make sure Sephiroth accompanied him. Riku would not make the mistake of seeing it alone, as he did growing up.

The smile on Riku's face widened as he rounded a corner, the shadowed outline of an archway positioned in front of a pagoda coming into view. Being back in his mother's house was definitely helping heal Sephiroth's heartache. The stories he told had come unbidden, without any of Riku's previous insistence. Riku was bursting at the seams with stories of his own, wanting to share in his father's happiness, but he didn't interrupt him. Never before had he seen Sephiroth so animated, his ice blue eyes warm with memory.

As he listened Riku came to the following conclusion: this was how Jeanette had seen him. After the horrible story he'd heard about the cold, unfeeling way Sephiroth had been brought up, it was a blessing Jeanette had come into his life. Riku saw that now, and whispered thanks to his mother. He hoped that her presence continued to comfort Sephiroth long after they'd gone from Wutai, just as it had Riku.

Riku soon found himself walking directly beneath the archway, where he stopped. Across the way was a steep set of stairs that sported a few people descending in his direction. A quick glance to the right found more people, all of them on bended knee in front of the statue Riku recognized as Leviathan. It was set in an opening on a wall, small candles situated around the base as offerings. Something else about their presence puzzled Riku, who instinctively dropped back so that he was in the shadow of the archway.

Nearly all of the people appeared to be a couple, and were weeping in subdued voices. One of the men kneeling before the shrine rose to his feet, his movements slow as if he were many years old, and he laid a hand on the shoulder of the woman in front of him. After a moment she, too, rose, leaning against him for support as he led her away. They were headed directly for Riku, who merged with the shadows in a heartbeat. The couple stopped just beneath the archway, the woman laying a hand over her eyes.

"It's been almost a week since Ichiro disappeared. I can't stop thinking about it, how I should have gone to him earlier-"

"Don't talk like that, Yui. We'll find him. Leviathan looks after his own," murmured the man, holding her closer.

"But he's only seven! He's out there somewhere, and so sick…my poor boy…" Yui sobbed before throwing her arms around the man and holding fast to him. Riku furrowed his brow in concern as the man whispered comforting words to the distraught Yui. He found himself wondering why Ichiro would run away, and what he was sick with, when another movement caught his attention.

A girl with shoulder-length brown hair approached the archway, her eyes softening at seeing the embracing couple. She carried a small candle, one hand cupped around the flame to keep it from going out. The man noticed her and nodded a greeting, Yui still within the circle of his arm.

"Hello, Yuriko. How are your parents?" he asked.

"Praying for Ichiro, as we all are, Uncle Hajime." Yuriko then turned her gaze to Yui. "He'll come back," she added. Yui gave her niece a slight nod, nothing more. She appeared much too saddened to care about the heartfelt advice given her. Riku could very well sympathize: he had been very difficult those first few weeks after Jeanette died.

"I must get Yui home. Please give Takeshi and Amaya my thanks," Hajime said, bowing his head. Yuriko returned it, then stepped aside to let her aunt and uncle pass. Her movement brought her close to where Riku stood, and he froze when she turned her head in his direction. He knew it was impossible, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she saw him in spite of being hidden. There was a familiarity about her, making him wonder where he had seen her before. He could not remember.

The sound of someone calling Yuriko's name pulled Riku from his thoughts, the two turning their gazes as one to the girl who jogged toward the archway. Yuriko met her halfway, leaning in closer as the girl whispered to her. She gestured over her shoulder nervously as she spoke, and Yuriko gave a gasp.

"Someone saw them by the house?" she asked, her hand hovering over her mouth. The other girl nodded.

"Yes. We have to tell Lord Godo," she replied in a nervous voice. Yuriko pursed her lips, then shook her head.

"No, I'll go check. Can you please say a prayer for Ichiro for me, Etsuko?"

"Wait, you shouldn't go there alone. I know that your family's-" Yuriko shoved the candle in Etsuko's waiting hand, ending the discussion, then she hurried off. Etsuko watched Yuriko leave, an exasperated look on her face. Riku followed Yuriko with his eyes before realizing what direction she was headed. He broke into a run, unaware that his movement generated a wind that stirred Etsuko's candle and made her gasp in shock. His only concern was Sephiroth.

---

Yuriko's strides were filled with purpose, her hands balled at her sides and expression set in determination. She hoped Etsuko's observation was right, for she had quite a few questions for those men. The days that followed Ichiro's disappearance had gone by in slow motion, Yuriko's mind focusing only on the eerie resemblance they all bore Sephiroth. It was on her mind as she comforted her aunt, as she expressed gratitude that the bullet that wounded Hajime wasn't serious, and as she sat in prayer in the company of her parents.

All eyewitness accounts of what the men looked like had generated surprise, shock and anger. Wutai had held the general in high regard, even after he disappeared. So far Lord Godo's wishes that the populace focus only on the safe return of the children had worked, but Yuriko knew that tempers were flaring. The other day Yuriko overheard Lord Godo's daughter Yuffie slandering Sephiroth, something that angered her. The Sephiroth Yuffie spoke of was not the one Yuriko knew. That Sephiroth sounded more like a thoughtless monster, not the warm, loving one Jeanette had fallen in love with.

Yuriko's thoughts turned to the children, sadness combined with confusion entering her heart. All of them had been infected with Geostigma. Why take them and not any others? Recalling her aunt's tears served to anger her further. Whatever game those men were playing, it had gone far beyond the apparent insult to Sephiroth. Yuriko vowed to discover the truth behind it all.

She turned down the path, coming upon the one that led to the single-level house in the shadow of the Da-Chao Mountains. She gave the grounds a quick glance, her heart skipping a beat at seeing the hazy glow of a candle in the front window. Only she or her parents ever took the time to visit the house, and since her parents were both home Yuriko concluded an intruder was inside. She broke into a run, reaching the front door and pushing it open. She stood in the doorway, eyes shifting to and fro as her heartbeat escalated.

The interior was dark save the flickering candle flame, and very, very quiet. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and took a step inside. Her foot snagged on something, causing her to jump back with a sharp cry. Brown eyes furrowed in confusion at the black boot that lay there. Its partner was leaning against the wall, the top part of it folded over. So, someone was in here.

Yuriko removed her own shoes and held them in her hands as she stepped onto the landing, walking slowly down the hallway. She spared a glance for the living room, the kitchen, and open doorway to her right before stopping at the entrance to the tearoom. She poked her head around the corner, breathing a sigh of relief at finding it empty. Yuriko's eyes followed the length of the wall, seeing that Jeanette's bedroom door was open. Her breathing quickened, then she steeled her resolve and walked on.

Yuriko knew someone was in there; she could feel it. She looked at the shoes held tightly within her hands, wondering just how effective a weapon they'd be in the event she had to fight, before deciding that it was better to have something than nothing. And so, sliding along the wall, her body tense, Yuriko slowly, carefully, looked around the corner.

The sudden appearance of the figure made her cry out. She staggered backward, slamming against the opposite wall and losing hold of her right shoe. The figure was tall and well built, Yuriko able to see the definition of muscles on his bare chest, but the rest of his features were hidden in shadow save one: his eyes. They regarded her with cold clarity, but something flickered in the depths, something she was able to identify as dangerous. She slid along the wall, lower lip trembling as her mind urged her to get out. The man took a single step forward; it was enough to jumpstart Yuriko.

She turned on her heel and darted down the hallway, her strides carrying her toward the doorway. Yuriko nearly tripped over the discarded boots there, and as she made ready to cross the threshold to freedom another figure materialized in front of her. This one was only slightly taller than she, features concealed in a hood that was drawn up. Yuriko shrieked in renewed terror and spun around, ready to run when the taller figure blocked her path. She lifted her left shoe defensively, eyes darting from one figure to the other as she tried to figure out how she'd escape when all at once the tall man let out a pained groan.

He doubled over, arms wrapping around his middle before dropping to the ground. A strangled cry sounded behind her, then Yuriko was quickly shoved aside. The force of the push caused her to stumble, yet she managed to right herself, shoe still raised in anticipation, before the terror slowly gave way to confusion. The cry she heard was 'Father.'

The shorter of the two was kneeling beside the other, an arm looped around his waist as he leaned in closer. The quickness of the action had caused his hood to come down, blue-gray silver hair spilling out around his face and shoulders. Something about the color of his hair chased the rest of her fear away, and without prompt raced to the taller man's opposite side and offered her help. The shorter one glanced up in surprise, Yuriko taking note he wore a blindfold, then gave an appreciative nod. Together the two assisted the tall man to his feet, Yuriko's confusion growing when what she believed to be a feather tickled her cheek.

It was slow going, but eventually their combined efforts brought the taller man into Jeanette's room, and after she helped lay him down she took a step back to assess the situation. Moonlight spilled into the room through the open window across the way, illuminating the pale, drawn features of the man lying on the futon. Silver hair, slightly darker in color and reminding her of ashes, cascaded around strong yet defined features. She would know that face anywhere. It's him…it's Sephiroth!

Her gaze shifted to the young man, only this time the realization of who he was shaking her to the core. Even though she couldn't see the entirety of his face she knew whom it belonged to. Yuriko watched him as he inspected Sephiroth, muttering to himself. She noted that Sephiroth's breathing was shallow, and that his skin gleamed with a thin sheen of sweat. Concern was quick to replace shock.

"Is he sick?" Yuriko asked. The young man looked up, the familiarity of his features shocking her anew. Before he could respond Sephiroth arched upward, lashing out with his fist. He nearly hit the young man, who dodged the errant punch with amazing reflexes. Yuriko forgot everything else and dropped to her knees, laying her body across Sephiroth's legs to hold him still. The young man held fast to Sephiroth's chest, Yuriko hearing the sharp intake of breath between clenched teeth as spasm after spasm ripped through Sephiroth.

It took all her strength to keep herself from being thrown off, but after several tense moments Sephiroth stopped moving. She slowly pushed herself into an upright position, glancing over at Sephiroth's pained features before frowning thoughtfully. Yuriko then rose to her feet and left the room, returning a short time later with a bowl of water and washcloths she found in a bathroom drawer. As she settled beside Sephiroth and began bathing his forehead in cool water, she felt the young man's gaze on her.

"I don't know who you are or why you were in this house, but you seem to know something about what's wrong with him. Tell me what it is." he demanded. Yuriko leaned back, wiping her brow with her arm before draping the washcloth over Sephiroth's forehead. He was resting now, his expression relaxed. For an instant she recalled the frightening look in his eyes before she knew he was, and shuddered.

"Geostigma," she replied shortly.

"What is that?"

"No one really knows," Yuriko sighed.

"Then how do you know he has it?" the young man continued, not entirely convinced. Yuriko looked up at him severely.

"I know because my cousin has it too," she declared, then added a bit more softly, "Riku." His expression revealed his surprise, and she shook her head.

"I knew it. When I recognized Sephiroth, I knew who you were," Yuriko murmured. Riku sat upright, hands tensing on his knees.

"Who are you?" he asked in a whisper.

"I'm the daughter of your mother's friends here. My name's Yuriko," she answered. Riku titled his head curiously. Yuriko chuckled weakly and shook her head.

"I wouldn't expect you to remember me. You weren't even a year old the last time I saw you. How is it you're so much older?" she asked, looking directly at him.

"I…I don't know. So much has happened since then," Riku sighed. A long silence followed his statement, broken only by Sephiroth's breathing, before a sudden thought occurred to Yuriko.

"Where is Jeanette?" she asked. Riku glanced at her, then quickly away. Sephiroth let out a weak moan, as if hearing the question pained him. It was answer enough for Yuriko, who lowered her gaze with an apologetic murmur.

"I'll be sure to tell my parents. She really was a wonderful person…" Yuriko said quietly. Memories of Jeanette filtered through her mind, various images that depicted her laughing, smiling or spending afternoons attempting to arrange flowers with comedic results. She glanced again at Sephiroth, her eyes filling with tears. They had been so much in love.

"Where have you been all this time?" Yuriko asked a moment later. Riku's gaze was fixed on Sephiroth as he spoke, his free hand lying atop his father's.

"Someplace far from here," he replied, and although Yuriko felt it wasn't the whole truth she didn't question it. An awkward silence fell over them again, as if neither could summon the words to properly articulate the circumstances that reintroduced them. Yuriko still couldn't believe how much older Riku appeared. She thought about asking why he wore a blindfold, but decided against it. It was pretty obvious he could see, but whatever it was about his eyes he disliked he intended to keep them hidden.

"You called this sickness Geostigma. How do you know you have it?" Riku asked, changing the subject. Yuriko gave a little shrug.

"That's just it, you don't know. One day you're fine, the next you're weak and suffering from fits. A lot of children have it, only they're not here anymore," Yuriko answered. Riku glanced at her in surprise.

"They're dead?" he whispered, his hand tightening on Sephiroth's. Yuriko shook her head.

"No. About a week ago all the children who had it were taken away by these strange men, my cousin included. How long ago did you two arrive?" she asked. Riku regarded her curiously, not understanding the relevance her question had, but replied.

"Just today."

"So, you were who Etsuko was talking about," she murmured.

"What does that have to do with the sickness and the men who took those children?" Riku asked, his tone slightly impatient.

"Well…the men looked a lot like Sephiroth. Like you," she replied softly. Riku lowered his gaze, his expression grim.

"I see. So, if the village were to discover we were here they might try to hurt us because they'd think we're the ones who took the children, right?"

"Yes," Yuriko admitted with regret. Riku placed Sephiroth's hand down, then looked over at her. There was a seriousness in his face that surprised Yuriko, and she wondered what sort of trials he experienced while he was gone.

"Did you see where those men were headed?"

"No. They- they attacked anyone who attempted to come after them. My uncle was lucky," Yuriko replied, swallowing. Riku rose to his feet in one fluid motion, Yuriko following his example.

"Can I have your word that you won't tell anyone we're here?"

"Of course you have my word, Riku. What are you going to do?" she asked.

"When Father wakes I'm going to tell him about those men, and then we're going to find out why they took the children. There has to be some reason why they look like us," he informed her. Yuriko nodded, for she wanted to discover the same thing.

"Now I have to ask you for a favor: please look for my cousin. Ichiro is about this tall, and he's carrying a stuffed blue chocobo. I can't stand the thought of him being out there all alone," she said, tears filling her eyes. Riku bowed his head in agreement, then took her hand. She blushed slightly from the contact, suddenly seeing that Riku was definitely not a little boy anymore. His poise was that of a mature adult, his concern for her touching.

"I promise. And thank you for looking after my mother's house. I know she'd appreciate it."

"How did you know-" Yuriko began, then cut herself off when Riku smiled at her. She blushed slightly, then spoke again.

"Can I tell my parents you're back? My father was so upset when you disappeared. He was very fond of Jeanette," she continued. Riku thought a moment, then nodded.

"Mom would want them to know. Can you do us one more favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"We'll need food and other supplies. I have a feeling we'll be staying here a little longer than expected," he remarked, his expression becoming drawn. Yuriko assumed he was thinking about both the men who resembled his father, as well as Sephiroth's sudden sickness.

"He might not have Geostigma. He might just be sick with a normal cold," she assured him, although she herself didn't believe it. Riku glanced away.

"I'd believe you if that were possible," he murmured. Yuriko was about to question what he meant by that when Riku shook his head.

"Whatever it is, Father will overcome it. Thank you again, Yuriko," he said, giving her a smile. Yuriko returned it, then promised she'd return soon and exited the house. As she walked she had no idea how she was going to be able to explain Sephiroth's reappearance to her parents, let alone Riku's sudden growth spurt. There was a lot of it she didn't understand, but at that moment she didn't care. Something whispered to her that everything would be fine now, and simply went with that.

---

After Riku saw Yuriko out he returned to the room that Sephiroth was in, fully intending on sitting by his side until he woke. However, when Riku set foot inside he noticed Sephiroth was awake and looking directly at the ceiling. An expression of confusion crossed his features, as if he didn't know where he was, before he settled his gaze on Riku.

"What happened to me?" he asked groggily.

"You suddenly doubled over in pain, and we carried you in here," Riku explained, sinking to the floor by his father's side.

"We?" Sephiroth repeated. Riku smiled slightly, still unable to believe it himself.

"A girl named Yuriko. She's the daughter of some friends Mom has here, and they've been the ones taking care of the house ever since we left. I know Mom would have appreciated that, so I told her it was all right if she let her parents know we were here," he continued. Sephiroth's eyes traveled to the ceiling again, the fingers of his right hand flexing slightly against the surface of the futon.

"Takeshi and Amaya…yes, they had Jeanette live with them when she first came here. I should apologize to Takeshi when I see him," Sephiroth said softly. Riku wasn't sure what his father meant, so chose not to question it.

"Yuriko also said some men came here and took all the children infected with something she called Geostigma. She doesn't know what they wanted with them, but what really bothers me is the description she gave them. She said they looked like you," Riku went on. Sephiroth's eyelids fluttered closed, his hands balling into fists.

"Clones…I thought I killed them all."

"Father?" Riku said, confused. Sephiroth did not reply. Instead his body jerked, his teeth clenching as a groan passed his lips. The motion caused the dampened washcloth to slip off his forehead, and as Riku held Sephiroth down he noticed the quick change of expressions on his father's face. One instant Sephiroth appeared to be in terrible pain, the next a strange grin tugged at his lips. A choked sound resembling a chuckle emitted from his throat, causing all the hair on the back of Riku's neck to stand on end. It was disturbing how frightening that one sound was.

Riku tightened his grip on Sephiroth, keeping him pinned as his father thrashed about until he went limp. Riku found he was breathing as heavily as Sephiroth, but the knot of fear did not fade even as sense returned to Sephiroth's face. The sight of tears rolling down his cheeks brought sorrow to Riku's heart, and he closed his eyes on tears of his own at Sephiroth's strangled gasp of Jeanette's name. Never before did Riku want his mother there more. She would be able to give him the comfort he needed.

Sephiroth lapsed into unconsciousness, Riku remaining his bedside vigil. He leaned against the wall, his knees drawn up and chin resting on them as he hugged his legs. He did not move, even when his body cried out for release from cramped muscles. He just kept watching Sephiroth sleep, his mind racing with question after question.

The sky was brightening when at last he gave in to fatigue, laying his head on his knees and closing his eyes. He was asleep for a few heartbeats when Sephiroth called to him. Riku was alert in an instant, crawling over to Sephiroth's side and reaching for the hand his father offered. Riku gasped softly at how it trembled, driving him to hold it with both hands.

"Riku…we have to…go to Midgar…" Sephiroth rasped.

"How do you know?" Riku asked, confused. Sephiroth squeezed his hand so tight Riku winced.

"…I just do….can't tell you…that now…" he continued, eyes sliding closed. While he did not understand, Riku merely nodded in agreement. Sephiroth gave him a small, appreciative smile before his face contorted into an expression of agony. Riku's eyes glistened with tears as he watched Sephiroth jerk on the futon, his lips pulled in a grim line. Whatever was wrong with his father, he vowed to find out. He wasn't going to lose him again.

---

Midgar…

A few days later Sephiroth stood beside Riku on an outcropping overlooking the valley Midgar was built in. He stared over at the city with arms folded, the wind tousling his long, silver hair away from his face and shoulders. He could feel Riku watching him warily, as if he expected Sephiroth to suffer from another fit. He was convinced his father was infected with what Yuriko called Geostigma, but Sephiroth knew better. It wasn't just any sickness that paled Sephiroth's complexion and weakened him. It was far more malevolent than any normal illness.

The presence of Jenova fairly permeated the air around Midgar, forcing Sephiroth to use every ounce of willpower available to him. He had done well to mask the twinges of pain so as to not alert Riku, but the gnawing ache in his gut was steadily growing more powerful. No matter. Even if Jenova ripped his very mind to shreds Sephiroth was not going to abandon Riku. Jeanette had protected him; now it was Sephiroth's turn.

"What happened here? The city looks like the Heartless attacked it," Riku murmured, his voice reflecting his awe. Sephiroth said nothing; instead, his lips twisted into a grim, bitter line. Riku's mention of something without a heart wasn't too far from the truth. Sephiroth had been as uncaring and unconcerned as any Heartless after he summoned Meteor. The madness had a great deal to do with that, but it was also something more. Even as he had manipulated others into doing his bidding a part of him still wept for what he lost. He believed it could only be returned to him by making everyone else as miserable as he was. He knew the folly of such a thought now, and shame prevented him from admitting as much.

"The greed of Midgar's creators had a hand in the devastation you see here," he replied as evenly as he could. Riku nodded thoughtfully.

"I guess they got what they deserved, then," he said. Again Sephiroth said nothing. As if understanding his father's wish to no longer continue the present subject, Riku followed up with, "You really think those men are here?"

"Yes. There is something I must tell you about them, something I've been thinking on ever since we learned of their existence," Sephiroth replied. Riku turned his full attention on his father, the wind fanning his hair about his face.

"Is it about why you called them clones?" he remarked, Sephiroth nodding at his son's correct thinking.

"They are the handiwork of Hojo, created some time after we were separated," Sephiroth began.

"Why would he make clones of you?"

"Most likely due to the fact he lost the opportunity to run tests on you. I'm not sure of the exact details, but I understand he was obsessed with the idea of recreating me."

"Because you disappeared, right? Yuriko told me about it the other day," Riku said, Sephiroth's body stiffening against the power of the memory that assaulted him. It took him a moment to collect himself before he spoke.

"I…needed to distance myself from everything. I learned of the clones' existence years later, and disposed of them."

"Why?" Riku asked quietly. Sephiroth fixed his gaze on the Shinra tower, its charred husk an echo of the city's former glory. A brief memory of storming the building in search of Jenova- Mother- came to mind, ending with his killing the president.

"They were in pain, Riku. Hojo experimented on them relentlessly, and left them for dead when they did not perform up to his expectations. It was a mercy killing," he replied. That, and it was necessary. He was the only one worthy of Mother's power. Sephiroth closed his eyes, his expression becoming grim at his sudden thought. What had possessed him to think that?

Suddenly Riku let out a soft gasp, drawing Sephiroth's full attention. "What is it, Riku?" he asked. Riku lowered his hand, then looked up at his father.

"I'm not sure. It felt as if someone was whispering to me. The atmosphere here feels very heavy…almost as if something's trying to wrap me up," he replied. Sephiroth knew for certain what was going on now, and he was about to tell him to summon the doorway to Wutai when the pain Sephiroth had been holding at bay struck him with a vengeance. He collapsed to his knees, arms wrapped tightly around his middle as his head drooped to his chest. His eyes squeezed shut against the onslaught of pain, the memories revolving not around Nibelheim but the night he reclaimed Jenova. The longing had been so desperate Sephiroth had risked everything to find her again. They weren't going to be parted this time.

Riku's frightened cry tore Sephiroth from his memories, and he latched onto his son's arm for support. Focus on his son, the wonderful woman who was his love, his life-

I am your life, Sephiroth. They are distracting you from your true calling.

"No!" Sephiroth shouted in a strangled voice. He glared across the plains toward Midgar, as if Jenova were standing there. Suddenly he saw her as he had when she was trapped in Nibelheim, only he felt incredible anger as opposed to the remembered devotion. Sephiroth scrambled to his feet, paying little heed to the fact he had knocked Riku aside and brandished the Masamune. He managed to lift his sword overhead, as if to cut her loose from her prison, when another jolt of agony reverberated through him. He staggered, dropping the Masamune as he held his middle again. He took a few steps back, his breathing labored, and narrowed his gaze at the apparition of Jenova.

You are tired, my son. Come, let me strengthen your resolve again. Forget those who have hurt you.

Sephiroth continued to move away until a boulder prevented him from going any further. Movement attracted his attention, and when Sephiroth looked over at the shocked features of Jeanette's son darkness swallowed him up.

---

"Father! Father, wake up!" Riku shouted, going to Sephiroth's side and grabbing onto his shoulders. He shook him furiously, yet Sephiroth remained motionless. Riku then laid him down and pressed his head against his partially exposed chest, heaving a sigh of relief at hearing a heartbeat. It was erratic, but it signified he was still alive. An image of Jeanette lying on that cot at the infirmary haunted him; Riku wasn't ready to see another loved one die.

As Riku pondered about what to do in order to help Sephiroth he heard a strange sound echoing behind him. He swiftly glanced over his shoulder, seeing a vehicle speeding away from the husk of Midgar. A truck, his mind corrected, remembering the drawings Jeanette had showed him of the fascinating machines she told him stories about. Riku's eyes narrowed when he saw the collection of children seated in the back, then he saw a slim figure sitting astride a motorcycle appear beside the truck. The figure's physical features gave him a start before he realized he had found them.

Riku grabbed Sephiroth by the underarms and dragged him behind the boulder he had collapsed in front of, propping him upright before going to fetch the Masamune. Once he laid it beside his father Riku raced toward the edge, Oblivion manifesting in his hand at his mental command. The truck was just passing beneath him, followed by the motorcycle before Riku acted. He launched himself into the air and angled his body downward as if in a dive, Oblivion crossed over his left shoulder. He aimed for the end of the bike, bringing his legs down as he made ready to land.

Suddenly the driver swiveled around, a long weapon in hand. A sharp noise sounded, followed by a brief stinging sensation on Riku's upper right arm just before he landed. The driver raised his weapon to block Riku's initial strike, then veered to the left in an attempt to throw Riku off. Riku nearly lost his balance, and had to jump to avoid falling to the ground. Given the speed the bike was traveling, the rocks would have made short work of him.

He did a backflip, landing neatly behind the bike and setting Oblivion in hand as he watched the driver maneuver it so it was on a crash course for him. Riku tensed, waiting for the right time to act, when all at once the driver leapt off, curling into a ball and soaring over Riku's head. Distracted by the sight of the silver-haired figure overhead, Riku's mind quickly adapted to the danger and he launched upward, avoiding the bike by a hair's breadth.

When he landed he whirled around, shifting Oblivion rapidly in order to block the small projectiles- bullets- from the other man's weapon. Now that he was close enough to study him, Riku was astounded anew at how similar his enemy was to Sephiroth. Long silver hair hung around a narrow face offset by an aristocratic nose, arched eyebrows and blue-green eyes, but that was where the similarities ended. This man wore an expression of amusement, one that caused his eyes to glitter with anticipation. Riku had never seen his father wear such an expression, and suddenly wondered if the sight of it would disturb him as much as it did now.

The slender man came at Riku with lightning fast reflexes, leaving him little time to dwell on their strange likeness. He continued to block the shots fired from the gun until he came close enough to cross weapons. The man, slightly taller than Riku, brought his leg up and pushed Riku away with the heel of his boot, putting some distance between them. Riku went back a single step before launching into his attack again, swinging Oblivion for the other's head. He dodged it easily, bringing up the gun and firing. The two traded blows several times, executed jumps, parries and sweeps before crossing weapons once again. Riku stared into eyes the exact equal of his and his father's, seeing intrigue entering them. Disturbed again by the sight of them Riku shoved the other back, setting Oblivion defensively.

"Where were you going with those children?" he demanded. The man murmured a soft sound, a cool smile spreading across his pale features. He did not answer Riku's question; instead he fired a series of shots so rapidly Riku barely had enough time to block them all. As he managed to dodge the last one the man leapt into the air, twirling above Riku with his gun aimed downward. The smile widened on his face, then Riku jerked back at feeling the sharpened edge of the gun slicing through his blindfold. It dropped to the ground at his feet, being kicked away when Riku spun on his heel to bring Oblivion up to defend against more shots. The man landed deftly behind him, gun cocked in his hand and chuckle emitting from his throat. Drops of blood traveled down the length of the blade, Riku able to feel it flowing from his temple at that same moment.

The man chuckled again before darting to the side, Riku following his movements for a split second before his attention was riveted to the shadow creature that appeared out of thin air. Four others joined it, converging as one on Riku. He gasped, wondering if the beasts were Heartless, before jumping aside to avoid the extended claws of one. He didn't care what they were- they were in his way.

Riku's Keyblade cut through each, but just as he defeated one three more appeared. In spite of their relentless attacks he remained focused, slicing a path through them until he caught sight of his true enemy. The man had mounted his bike, revving the engine once before turning it around and racing off. Away from Riku. Away from the battle that was far from over.

Anger began to build inside him, and his body trembled from the power that screamed for release. His hand clenched around Oblivion's hilt, then Riku raced forward. As he did so his left hand opened up, the welcoming feel of Soul Eater pressing against his palm. Darkness swirled around him from the ground, encasing him in its protective aura and lending him the speed he needed to catch up to his enemy. Yellow eyes blazing, Riku cried out his challenge.

The bike's tires screeched as it spun around, the rider aiming his gun directly at Riku. Riku continued onward, both Keyblades brandished and teeth clenched. The bullets fired at him were seized by his dark aura, continuing to do so even as Riku launched himself into the air and directed his descent toward the front of the bike. He landed on it with ease, then thrust Soul Eater for the driver's heart. He dodged it at the last second, the end of the Keyblade cutting through his hair instead. Riku quickly followed up with Oblivion, grunting when it came into contact with the man's gun. Riku glared at the pale, amused features of this man who looked so much like his father, before pressing his weight against the gun.

The driver leaned back from the force, amusement giving way to concern as his eyes narrowed. He quickly glanced past Riku's shoulder, his smile a brief flash that tugged at his lips before he acted. He shoved Riku back as he perched atop the seat, then jumped off. Riku turned, saw the rock wall coming at him full speed before leaping off. The bike slammed into it, the wheels turning up small rocks as it fell to the ground. Riku landed, glancing around for the man when he noticed the truck had come to the other's aid.

His enemy climbed into the cockpit, spared Riku a smile, which the driver of the truck mirrored, before it sped off. Riku caught a glimpse of the children in the back, taking note of how listless they looked. He gave an irritated sigh, disliking how he had let them escape, before closing his eyes and concentrating. Soul Eater faded, as did the black aura. When the power left him Riku reopened his eyes, bracing himself for the lightheadedness that followed. A moment later he dropped to a knee, his right hand pressed over his heart as he panted. His left hand clenched in the rocky terrain beneath him; were those men really the imperfect clones his father spoke about, or were they more?

After he recovered his strength Riku rose to his full height, turning his gaze in the direction the truck had gone. The fact they escaped galled him, but it was nothing compared to what he experienced next. He furrowed his brow in confusion, his mind showing him the image of the truck speeding across the dusty plains as if he were following it from behind. He shook his head, wondering if it was some kind of new side effect of his dark powers before focusing on the cliff Sephiroth was on. Riku wasted no time in scaling the side of it, landing deftly on his feet before moving forward. Here he was greeted with the sight of Sephiroth attempting to stand, prompting him to sprint for his father's side.

"Father, don't push yourself-" Riku broke off when Sephiroth glanced at him, forcing a gasp from his lips. A strange glow lit his eyes, one that he had seen present in the face of his enemy, but the sheen of sweat on Sephiroth's face concerned him more. When Sephiroth tried to stand under his own power the strength of Riku's grip on his arm prevented him from doing so.

"No, don't try to move. You're too weak," Riku said. Sephiroth's left hand curled into a fist.

"…trying to…start it…all over again…can feel her…"

"Father?" Riku questioned. Sephiroth grunted in pain, then continued as if Riku hadn't spoken.

"She wants…she needs…me…"

"Who? Who needs you?" Riku pressed, a note of fear in his voice. Sephiroth lifted his head, his bangs falling around his face.

"Mother…" he gasped, then slumped forward. Riku managed to catch him, his voice frantic as he called for his father. After a moment he hung his head, his eyes squeezing shut on tears of frustration. None of it made sense- the similarities he shared with the two silver-haired men, his father's sickness- none! He gritted his teeth. What was he going to do now?

"Riku…"

His head shot up at hearing the familiar voice, his eyes widening in disbelief. A quick survey of the grounds revealed nothing, but an instant later he saw the figure of a woman standing a short distance away. Auburn hair curled around a face that he hadn't seen in years, violet eyes shining with love in his direction. He swallowed, unsure if he was seeing things or not.

"Don't give up hope. You will discover the answers that you seek."

"Mom?" Riku murmured, rising to his feet and taking a step forward. She remained where she was, the smile fading a little from her face.

"Listen to me, Riku- whatever it is you learn about your father, you must never lose faith in him."

"Lose faith…? No, I'd never do that. But I don't understand," he replied, swallowing past the lump in his throat. Jeanette's smile returned, highlighting her eyes.

"You will," she answered, and slowly vanished. Riku held out his hand in protest, then gave a sigh. Usually his mother would only visit him in dreams. This was the first time he'd seen her while awake, and he had to wonder if being in this world was starting to affect him as it obviously did Sephiroth.

Riku turned his attention to his father, his gaze softening at seeing, for a brief instance, Jeanette kneeling beside him. Her diaphanous hand caressed his cheek, brushing his bangs aside in a loving gesture before fading again. Sephiroth groaned softly, pushing himself to his hands and knees.

"Jeanette?" he asked groggily, looking up. Riku knelt beside him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Sephiroth looked over at his son, Riku unhurt by the sadness evident in his gaze at not being whom he sought. Riku himself had lost count of how many times he had called for her after she died. He then wondered if he'd see her again, somehow knowing he would.

"I was…unconscious again, wasn't I?" Sephiroth said a moment later. Riku nodded his assent, then grew serious.

"Father, I encountered them," he stated. Sephiroth ran his hand down the length of his face, as if trying to clear his head.

"Who?" he croaked.

"The ones Yuriko described. They were taking more children away, although I didn't find out why." He hesitated a moment, then added, "I also fought one of them. I don't know if they're the imperfect clones you mentioned. They couldn't be, not the way this one fought."

Sephiroth remained silent, then slowly assumed his feet. Riku followed suite, steadying his father by circling his arm around Sephiroth's waist. Eventually Sephiroth sighed deeply.

"So…this is what…she wants. Riku, can you…hear her?"

"Hear who?"

"…a voice…if you do, ignore it…" he went on, then winced in sudden pain.

"You're not well, Father. We should return to Wutai so you can rest," Riku said gently. Sephiroth nodded.

"Yes…Mother's influence…is weaker there," he murmured. Riku added the mystery of Sephiroth's mother to his catalog of questions that required answers, then led his father away. He concentrated, a portal opening in mid air before them. Riku stepped through, grateful to be gone from that place.

---

Yuriko had just sat down on the couch inside Jeanette's house to read when Riku suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She gave a little yelp of fright, about to ask him how he walked in without her seeing him when she saw that he was practically dragging Sephiroth.

"What happened?" she asked, rising to her feet and going to help by placing Sephiroth's arm over her shoulder. Riku shook his head.

"I'll tell you later. I want to get Father to bed," he replied. Yuriko nodded, refraining from asking any more questions until they had laid Sephiroth down. As Riku arranged him on the futon she sought the light switch and flipped it on. Riku flinched in surprise, but said nothing. He was too focused on Sephiroth.

Yuriko shifted her gaze to him also, her face falling at how heavy his breathing was, as well as the sallow color of his skin. Fear knotted in her throat. It was Geostigma. Of that she was certain, and her heart went out to Riku. How was she going to tell him there was no cure?

Yuriko left the room, concentrating only on retrieving the items necessary to make Sephiroth more comfortable instead of the grim future that lay ahead for him. She returned with a bowl of water and washcloths, seeing that Riku had just removed his father's shoulder guards before tugging at his coat. Yuriko placed the bowl on the surface of Jeanette's dresser, then sat opposite Riku to help.

As the two worked Sephiroth's coat off Yuriko inspected him for the telltale rash, growing confused when none were found. What did confound her was the presence of the single navy wing, remembering that it been what tickled her cheek the first time she saw him. A part of her expected to be subjecting Riku to a barrage of questions, but somehow that didn't matter. Given how strange everything was already, she was sure she wouldn't be able to handle it.

"What's wrong with you, Father? What did you mean by what you said?" Riku said quietly. Yuriko looked over at him, regarding him curiously. She realized he was not wearing the blindfold and possessed enough self-control not to gape. However, the sight of a long, red gash at his temple concerned her more than the strange yellow color of his eyes.

"You're hurt," she said, rising to take one of the washcloths and dip it into the bowl. Riku reached up to touch his injury, as if suddenly realizing it was there, before giving a slight start when Yuriko sat next to him. She carefully brushed his hair away from his forehead, then dabbed at the cut. He flinched, and she murmured an apology. He nodded, indicating she could continue.

As she did so her fingers accidentally grazed the surface of his skin in an unintentional caress, causing her to blush furiously and Riku to glance away. She regained her composure, finished cleaning the cut, and was about to declare he was fine when her eyes caught sight of the hole in the right arm of his coat, as well as the blood there.

"What happened to you?" she whispered. Riku reached up to cup his wound, gloved fingers tensing, before he dropped his arm to his side.

"I fought one of those men you described," he answered, frowning.

"And Ichiro? Did you see him?" Yuriko asked, hope entering her heart. Riku shook his head.

"No, but they did have more children loaded in the back of a truck. You were right about how much they resemble Father," he said, sucking in a breath when Yuriko prodded the wound. Explanations could wait; there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Take off that coat," she instructed, rising to her feet and exiting the room. She went into the kitchen, reaching for the first aid kit Jeanette had always kept on hand. Yuriko took it and returned to the bedroom, her eyes widening slightly at the sight that greeted her.

Riku sat pensively on the floor, hands on his knees and gaze averted. The neckline of his shirt was a thick, rounded line of black, as were the cuffs around the sleeves and bottom, but the rest of it was made of a transparent material that showed off a finely toned upper body. He had removed the gloves as well, which lay on top of the crumpled pile his jacket made up at his side. She glanced at the wound, seeing that blood had caked over the opening before speaking.

"Take off the shirt too. I need to be able to clean it," she said, feeling herself turn red at both his and her embarrassment. Riku took hold of the bottom, hesitated a brief moment before pulling it over his head. Yuriko settled next to him, reminding herself that doctors did not gawk at their patients.

Riku was rigid with nerves as she opened up the kit and sifted through its contents. He kept his head turned away, Yuriko assuming it was a combination of his own embarrassment and his obvious wish for her not to see his eyes. She remained silent as she worked, her every thought attuned to the task at hand. It was a bullet wound, but it had only grazed his skin so there was no risk of it being lodged in his arm. Once it was cleaned she dabbed antiseptic on it, then applied a gauze bandage. As she did so a bemused thought came to mind, and she chuckled slightly.

"What?" Riku asked, shifting his head so that she only saw part of his face. His hair had fallen over his eyes, as if responding to his silent wish that she not see them. Yuriko finished binding his arm, then began packing up the contents of the first aid kit.

"I just remembered the last time I tended one of your injuries. You had tripped over a rock and skinned your knee. My mother wasn't home at the time, so I took you into the kitchen and gave you a bandage. You were trying so hard not to cry," she replied, smiling as she recalled the reddened face of the little boy seated on the chair, his blue eyes glistening with tears he refused to shed. Riku looked away again, Yuriko noticing that his hands tensed into fists.

"Is that how you still see me?" he said quietly. Yuriko closed the lid of the kit, resting her hands on its surface.

"Don't be silly. It's obvious that you're not. I may not understand what happened to make you age so rapidly but I do accept it," Yuriko answered, glancing over at him. This time he did look at her, Yuriko gasping softly at the intensity of his gaze. A slight smile tugged at his lips, and the sight of it caused her cheeks to redden.

"Thank you. The last thing I need is someone treating me like a child," he replied. She smiled at him again, and felt a little surprised at his brief look of embarrassment. A moment later Riku reached over and took hold of his shirt, slipping his arms through the sleeves before pulling it over his head. He adjusted it around his waist before inspecting the bandage.

"You're studying to be a nurse, aren't you?" he remarked with a slight smile. Yuriko nodded, pleased that he deduced it.

"Your mother was my inspiration. I also love to help people," she replied. Riku nodded slowly.

"It's good to like helping people. When you know someone is relying on you, you do everything you can to make sure they're happy," he said, partially to himself. Yuriko then realized that statement was more for him than her, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her, yellow eyes questioning.

"Don't worry, Riku. Sephiroth will be fine, especially since you want him to be. I know his having Geostigma is upsetting, but he's fighting off something else too, something that I bet he wants to prevent from coming between you," she said warmly. Riku mulled over her words before he bowed his head in agreement.

"That's exactly what he's doing. But it worries me. He began acting strange when we reached the outskirts of Midgar, and then he told me that if I heard any voices to ignore them."

"Voices?" Yuriko repeated, furrowing her brow in confusion. Riku turned around to face her, Yuriko wondering if he realized that he was staring at her directly in spite of his misgivings about his eyes.

"It was brief, but I managed to understand my name, as well as what it whispered to me. Something about a gathering, or reunion," he continued. Yuriko fell silent, biting her lower lip. Voices…what was it about voices that tugged at her memory? Suddenly she gasped.

"Ichiro…Ichiro said he could hear voices- Riku! You might have it too," she said fearfully, grabbing onto his arm without thinking. He looked at her, his expression revealing surprise at how concerned she was about him. After a moment he shook his head.

"Even if I do I can't let it stop me from finding out the truth. I hate what the sickness is doing to Father- it's making him behave as if he lost his mind," Riku said, frowning thoughtfully. Yuriko gasped softly, for his wording brought forth a memory of Ichiro.

"Did…did Sephiroth mention his mother?" she asked softly.

"Yes. Why? Does it have something to do with Geostigma?"

"Well, it might just be a side effect, but one night Ichiro's fits were exceptionally bad. Nothing I did seemed to calm him, so when he called for his mother I had my aunt come into the room. He…he took one look at her and shrieked that she wasn't his mother. He tried to get out of bed, screaming that he had to find her, that she was calling him- it was horrible. We had to call Doctor Kado over to give him something to help him sleep," Yuriko explained quietly. Riku looked away, Yuriko seeing a muscle work in his cheek. He rose to his feet an instant later, giving her a start.

"Where are you going?" she asked, half demanded as she watched him pull on his gloves and shrug into his coat.

"I have to find those men," he answered shortly, drawing the zipper up in one quick motion. He strode out of the room, Yuriko right at his heels.

"Do you even know where to start looking?" she questioned.

"Yes, even though I'm not quite sure how," he admitted. Yuriko reached out to take hold of his arm, which resulted in him glancing over his shoulder at her.

"You're going alone?"

"I have to. Father is in no condition to travel. Don't worry about me, Yuriko. I'll be fine," he assured her. Yuriko knew that much was true even though she had never seen Riku fight. As the son of Sephiroth, she expected him to be a fine warrior.

"What should I tell him when he wakes up?" she asked. Riku gave her a slight smile, Yuriko understanding that she had answered his unspoken request that she stay with Sephiroth. He then turned away and dipped his hand into the right pocket of his coat, withdrawing a long piece of black material. He secured it over his eyes, the ends of the blindfold poking through his blue-gray silver hair and falling between his shoulder blades.

"Tell him I'm going to find some answers," he replied, then pushed open the door and strode off. Yuriko watched him walk into the shadow of a tree, gasping a moment later when he vanished. She promised herself to ask him just how he did that, and ducked back inside, the door softly closing behind her.

---

Forgotten Capital…

He spared a glance for the little girl Loz had returned with, then focused his attention on the container set before him. He slowly knelt down, flipping the lid in one quick motion and expressing a soft sound of delight. He reached inside, cupping a green sphere in his palm before rising to his feet. A chuckle emitted from his throat as he turned to study the sphere in the shaft of light that filtered through the trees.

"So, our brother was hiding this. The power of the Lifestream is in this materia. With it we'll gain new power," Kadaj murmured, then pressed the orb against his left arm. It sank through the material of his coat as if he were transparent, lodging itself within his arm and causing a bright green glow to form around his fist. He smiled in appreciation at the display, as well as feeling the effects of the materia coalesce inside him.

The little girl at Loz's side stared at Kadaj with large eyes, a hand pressed against her chest. Kadaj gave her a smile that was without warmth before turning his attention across the expanse of water that stretched between he and the opposite side.

Yazoo stood among the children gathered there, instructing them to stand in a group before walking around the pool to join his brothers. Blue-green eyes regarded the glow that circled Kadaj's arm with steadily growing interest before he dipped into the container and selected a materia orb of his own.

"I'm looking forward to when we can use our new power against our brother," he remarked, his eyes flashing with anticipation as he held it up to admire its sheen. Loz went to look at the one he held, glaring at his brother when Yazoo jerked it away. The smile he sent Loz was thin and slightly amused. Loz frowned before dropping to his knees and sifting through the container.

"Soon enough. He's coming for us right now," Kadaj said, smiling as he gazed beyond the assembled children. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as his mind expanded, seeing the familiar figure astride a motorcycle. Indeed, he was coming for them, which was what Kadaj wanted.

"The other one will come, too," Yazoo commented, drawing Kadaj from his thoughts. He gave a disinterested shrug.

"It doesn't matter how many stand in our way. Nothing can stop us from finding Mother," he declared. Loz, who stood to his left, murmured his agreement. Kadaj saw Yazoo's face brighten, and his eyes glittered with cruel malice.

"Are you going to cry again, Loz?" he grinned, Loz snarling in response. Yazoo chuckled and turned away, losing interest in the conversation. Kadaj smiled, unaffected by the taunts his brothers engaged in. He focused his glowing, greedy gaze on the children, sensing the Jenova within each. His eyes caught sight of a small boy with rumpled brown hair, a stuffed blue chocobo clutched to his chest, before his smile widened. He took two steps forward and spread his arms.

"You came here because we promised to cure you. That is just what we're going to do…"

---

The shadows peeled away from Riku as soon as he stepped out of the glowing doorway, his eyes widening at the sight that greeted him. The trees that made up the forest glowed stark white, creating a hazy glow that muted everything with dream-like quality. In all his travels, he had never seen something so hauntingly beautiful. Riku paused to admire it a moment more before focusing his attention on the task at hand.

He began walking slowly, eyes shifting left and right as he searched the shadows for unseen enemies. As he continued on he became increasingly aware of an unknown source pulling him forward, one the likes he'd never experienced before. It was a painful yearning beyond words, a soul-deep wrenching that he dared not ignore. The feeling was equivalent to the time he and Sephiroth stood outside Midgar. Just what was this sensation?

Riku's traveling gaze fell to a clearing across the way, the sound of someone speaking catching his attention and driving his thoughts elsewhere. He determined where it was coming from before merging with the shadows, reappearing a moment later behind a large tree. He peered around it, eyes narrowing at what he saw.

A group of children stood on one side of a pond, shuffling nervously as they watched a man enter the water from the opposite end. Riku fixed his gaze on the man, his mouth dropping open. The man was dressed all in black and possessed silver hair, much like the two he had seen outside Midgar, but with one difference: he looked like him. In fact, he could have been Riku's twin, and the sight of that strange mirror image disturbed him far more than he would have liked to admit. It was then he knew these men weren't just clones. They were something more.

The man dipped his cupped hands into the water, lifting them out a moment later and taking a long, slow drink. When he was done he let his arms drop, lifting his head toward the children and smiling. One after another they went into the water, submerging their hands to catch some to drink. Riku wasn't sure what was going on, or what significance the water held, but all at once his eyes caught sight of Ichiro.

The little boy stood at the water's edge, arms wrapped tightly around his stuffed toy and eyes wide. An ugly red rash fairly glowed on his skin, and a quick glance at the others indicated that they, too, had it. The sight of it caused something in the back of Riku's mind to react, making him wince at the sudden pain of it. It fled a moment later, Riku choosing to question it when he had the time. He had to get Ichiro out of here.

Riku shadow walked around the area and came up behind Ichiro, who remained on the bank with some other unsure children. Riku glanced across the water, seeing the long-haired man he fought, as well as the driver of the truck. A little girl stood close to him, watching the scene with wide eyes. His eyes then went to the one standing in waist-deep water, his blue-green eyes surveying the children with pride. Satisfied that their attention was drawn elsewhere, Riku steadily moved closer to Ichiro, ready to wrap the boy up in his arms.

All at once a barrage of bullets struck the tree next to him. Ichiro cried out in fright and stumbled into the water, seeking comfort in those around him. Riku jumped back to avoid the falling tree limb, glancing across the water. The long-haired man stood with his left arm raised, smoke curling around the barrel of his gun and small smile on his face.

"I told you he would come," he announced, his eyes widening with glee. The man opposite him grinned and raced forward, moving so fast Riku lost sight of him. A split second later Riku groaned in surprise, his eyes widening. The short-haired man stood over him, his fist firmly planted in his gut. Riku staggered back in slow motion, the pain disorienting his senses and forcing the shadows to dissipate around him.

His attacker then grabbed onto Riku's coat and flung him into the air with a mighty swing, Riku managing to curl into a ball when he hit ground. He rolled into an upright, crouched position, hands pressed firmly on the ground as he glared up at the long-haired man. He slowly leveled his gun on Riku's forehead, chuckling softly. Just as Riku expected the gun to go off the third silver-haired man appeared, grabbing the other's wrist and forcing it down.

"No, don't kill him, Yazoo. Can you not feel it?" he said, fixing his interested gaze on Riku.

"I felt it the first time I saw him, Kadaj. He is a much more worthy opponent than our big brother," Yazoo remarked, smiling coolly.

"Indeed. Well then, perhaps we ought to test his strength," Kadaj said, his smile reaching his eyes and causing them to glow with excitement. Riku wasted no time; he launched himself into the air, spinning overhead before landing on a bough. Oblivion appeared in his hand a moment later, Riku giving it a swing before leveling it to the ground. He glared at them in silent challenge.

Kadaj cracked an amused half smile before gesturing toward Riku with his chin. Yazoo flew into the air a moment later, eyes flashing with interest. Riku was ready for him, blocking the gunshots before rushing forward. He swung out with Oblivion, ready to knock Yazoo from the trees when the short-haired man sprung up from the ground, latching onto Riku's ankle and pulling him off the limb before balancing on it himself.

Riku managed to reach out with his left hand, grabbing onto the branch and swinging upward so that he landed behind the man, driving him forward with a powerful kick. As he fell Yazoo opened fire, catching Riku in the leg when he leapt for higher ground. He skimmed along the treetops with ease, finding a perch on a thick bough several feet above the ground. He held Oblivion out in challenge, unable to keep a smile from tugging at his lips. He knew they underestimated him. Riku was more than ready to make them regret it.

Yazoo soon appeared in front of him, sheathing his gun in favor of a hands-on battle. He came at Riku with fists flying, Riku leaning back to avoid a punch before jumping over Yazoo's outstretched leg. The taller man was quick to recover from his misses and thrust his left palm out, his fingers curled inward. Riku dodged it, clenching his teeth at the near-miss when something moving in the shadows caught his eye. He glanced to his right, narrowing his gaze at the sight of several shadow beasts ascending the trees. Yazoo chuckled and began firing, forcing Riku to counter the bullets as he attempted to put some distance between he and the beasts.

They came at him relentlessly, zeroing in on him with the same, single determination the Heartless demonstrated, and fell just as quickly. Even when three pounced on him at once Oblivion cut through their bodies with ease, returning them to the darkness from which they came. Riku knew their appearance was only a diversionary tactic, and decided to seek out the source. He was through playing games with these men.

After cutting down the last one Riku searched for Yazoo, catching sight of his enemy standing in the branches of the tree across from him. Riku raced forward, propelling himself off the bough with Oblivion outstretched. Just as he was ready to summon the power of darkness someone came at him from below, wrapping his body up in a tight embrace. Riku gasped and glanced over his shoulder, peering into the grinning visage of the short-haired brother. He spun in midair before descending headfirst for the ground, Riku's pained grunt reverberating through his body when his neck bent beneath the pressure of the fall. He barely had time to catch his breath, for the next moment he was shifted upright. The arms around him squeezed tightly, forcing Riku to cry out in pain at the sensation of his ribcage being crushed.

"He's not better than our big brother, Yazoo. You just let him get the best of you," trumpeted the man, his deep voice laced with pride. Yazoo gracefully jumped down from his perch, landing directly in front of Riku. He smiled knowingly.

"There is more to him than this, Loz," Yazoo commented before removing his gun and using its sharpened edge to cut the blindfold from Riku's face. He jerked his head to the side, then fixed his furious gaze on Yazoo. Yazoo saw something in Riku's eyes and backed away, the earlier nonchalance giving way to mild surprise. Loz, at seeing his brother react that way, loosened his hold just a bit. It was enough for Riku.

He broke free from Loz's hold, bringing Oblivion up and smacking Loz in the chin with the hilt. As he fell back with an angry growl Riku turned his attention to Yazoo, feeling the power of darkness well within him. He lifted his left hand, Soul Eater materializing out of thin air. Yazoo watched him without comment, then interest highlighted his eyes. He beckoned Riku with a smirk, who came at him without hesitation.

The two took their battle to the air, exchanging blow after blow before Riku struck Yazoo with Oblivion and sent him careening for the ground. Yazoo fell backward, righting himself just before he touched down. Riku was on him in an instant, Soul Eater aimed for his heart. The moment before he could sink it into Yazoo's chest Kadaj interfered, a blur of silver and black that moved directly in Riku's path. Soul Eater cracked against the double-bladed katana Kadaj wielded, the force of the blow traveling up Riku's arm and causing him to tremble. He leapt back, landing a good distance away as he studied Kadaj. Kadaj moved with the stealth of a predator- eerily similar to Sephiroth- before racing toward him.

Riku lifted both Keyblades to block Kadaj's strike, sidestepping him when his enemy attempted to attack from a different angle. He traded blows with Kadaj for several moments, each one more ferocious than the last and steadily wearing down Riku's strength. Kadaj eventually maneuvered him so that he was forced to back against a tree, finding himself pinned there an instant later when Kadaj held his sword at his throat. Riku held his Keyblades away from his body as he eyed his enemy, gaze narrowing in contempt. Kadaj titled his head at him in a childlike manner.

"I can feel Mother's power in you…and something else, something…" he broke off then, his gaze hardening with such intensity Riku knew he'd slash his throat if he didn't do something. He thrust both Keyblades forward and pushed Kadaj away, but not without feeling the edge of the katana graze his neck, before melting into the shadows. Kadaj whirled around, his face contorted into an expression of rage. Riku reappeared above him, prepared to bring both Oblivion and Soul Eater down upon his head when movement caught his attention.

Loz stood a short distance away, swinging a large tree limb and slamming it into Riku. The force of the blow knocked across the ground, his body slamming into the side of a strange, conch shell-shaped structure. The impact jarred his senses, causing him to lose hold of his dark powers. Soul Eater vanished from his left hand, and the aura around him diminished. Riku coughed, spitting up blood before lifting his gaze. Loz and Yazoo approached him, but it was Kadaj who arrived there first. He leveled his katana at Riku's throat, eyes burning. Suddenly he smiled, and the sight of it sent a shiver down Riku's spine.

"Mother will need all our power. We will make good use of yours," he declared. Riku was then grabbed by Loz and thrown toward the pond, where he landed face first. The water stung his skin with the same intensity of a severe burn, and he stood up in one quick movement. Anger burned in his heart as he turned round, left hand opening as he attempted to summon Soul Eater once more. Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz strode toward him as one, their eyes glowing with power and delight. The sight of them was enough to set Riku's anger loose.

He cried out as his dark aura returned, flaring around him with such force Loz and Yazoo actually reacted with surprise. Kadaj lifted a hand and made a beckoning gesture, smiling. Suddenly the children that had remained in the water converged on Riku, latching onto his arms and legs with vice-like grips. He gasped in shock, finding himself unable to use too much force to shake them off. It was his downfall, as the three must have known. Loz was behind him in an instant, pinning Riku's arms at an unnatural angle. He then was forced to bend forward by the pressure of Loz's hand against the back of his head, and he groaned in agony at the strain.

Yazoo came to Riku's left side, holding his head up and forcing his mouth open with a delighted smile. Kadaj then submerged his hands into the black water, lifting them a moment later and grinning. He slowly moved toward Riku, water sloshing over the sides of his cupped hands as he raised them in the direction of Riku's mouth. He attempted to jerk free from Loz, but could not. He was trapped, and they knew it.

Suddenly, just as Kadaj made ready to force the water down Riku's throat a brilliant flash of light emanated from him. Riku heard Loz and Yazoo cry out in surprise, felt Loz release him, then nothing else. His body sank, the water seizing him up greedily. It felt as if he was descending into darkness, and he briefly wondered if he had let it overcome him as he nearly did before. Try as he might, he could not surface. He was going to drown in it.

The water changed then, becoming more solid until it felt as if arms were wrapped around him. The sense of his head nestled against a shoulder roused him from his temporary paralysis, and his eyes slowly slid open. He saw the three silver-haired men standing far away from him, each covering their eyes with upright arms. The children also had dropped back, watching the scene with perfect unconcern. Riku dimly noted the strange blue-green hue of their eyes before he recognized the arms that circled him.

"No darkness can overcome your light, Riku, not even Jenova's. Remember that, and it will save you," Jeanette whispered into his ear, making him gasp in surprise. He wanted to ask who Jenova was, and what she had to do with him, when a second flash of light blinded him. He knew nothing else after that.

---

Kadaj set his narrowed gaze on the area the strange young man once stood in, his eyes still burning from the brilliance of the light he emanated. However, that burning was nothing compared to what he felt in his heart. It snaked throughout his entire body, enveloping him in the most powerful emotion of all: hate. He had felt Mother's power inside that man, as surely as Kadaj felt it in his own mind. It only meant one thing: the young man also had the capability of becoming the avatar to the power Sephiroth once wielded. A cold wave of fear swept up within his mind- what if she chose him? Kadaj could not condone it. The next time they met, which he was certain of happening, he would kill him.

He recovered his senses, calmed himself and turned his attention across the pool. A smile tugged at his lips, then he gestured to Loz and Yazoo.

"Our brother is coming for us. Let's be sure to give him a proper welcome."