Author's Notes:
Oh wow, I had serious blast writing this chapter! I'm so sorry I didn't get a chance to update this last week but I decided to change a few things in the chapter before posting it. I really do hope that you'll enjoy this chapter::Hugs her Sora plushie:: Let the chapter begin!!
Sephiroth's Guide to Love and Deception
Chapter Thirty-Four: Passionate Vengeance Part Deuce (Sephiroth's Guide to Deception)
Kairi felt her heart beat insanely fast in her chest but as her eyes met with Riku's her face become just as cold and determined as his.
Both were going to see this through to the end.
And both were determined to come out victorious…
Sora looked between the pair, both scowling at one another with livid, almost completely vicious eyes, his own ocean blue pools wide and sparkling with confusion. He wasn't sure what was going on--and he also wasn't certain if he wanted to know.
But this--the fighting, the odd glances from both, each claiming the other to be horrible and trying to use him. . .hurt him--it all needed to end.
Now.
"Please, both of you, stay calm," Sora began softly, stepping between the two parties while he still looked between them, not exactly sure what moves he wanted to proceed with next.
"Sora, how can you ask me to do something like that when he's been doing nothing but trying to drive us apart?!" Kairi exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at Riku in an accusing manner and before Sora could reprimand her for not keeping her cool, the platinum blond teen to the right of him was on the attack.
"The only person trying to keep Sora out of the relationship he's suppose to be in, is you Kairi," he replied in a calm, soft but very cold tone, his aquamarine eyes tearing through her with something akin to hated.
'Well at least he's not screaming,' Sora thought briefly before Kairi's shrieking rattled him out of his random thoughts. "Me?! Sora and I belong together Riku--!"
"You keep telling yourself that and yet, you can't seem to keep us apart? Can you Kai,?" he retorted smugly, spitting out her nickname in sarcasm. The red haired girl balled up her fist at her sides and narrowed her own eyes into thin slits as she glowered at him, Sora putting a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. "Riku, don't do that! We're trying to have a peaceful resolution to this!"
"Well your so-called 'girlfriend' should have thought about that before she tried to ruin my life and our relationship Sora," Riku announced in that same deathly calm tone, flickering his eyes to stare at the brunette for only a moment before back at Kairi then at the replica at his side.
"Tell him."
"Tell him what?!" both the replica and the actual Kairi snapped in the same exact tone, glaring at Riku in that same, loathsome way.
Sora personally thought it was eerie but given the circumstance, Riku could have cared less. "Tell Sora what you told me today Kairi. What you did to him."
"That's what I'm talking about!" the real Kairi snapped before the replica could speak, clicking her tongue against her teeth and rolling her eyes before shaking her head at Riku in disgust. "You'll stoop to any low won't you? Getting Zexion to build you that replica just to try and trick Sora?!"
"Oh good, we got here before it got ugly," Axel sang teasingly as he came up behind Ri and the others that had gathered to watch the events unfold. Vincent simply arched his brow at him and the crazed red head shrugged as Roxas took a stand beside Wakka, a worry gazed on both Sora and Riku. "Didn't want to miss Kairi going down in a blaze of glory--or whatever. I just want to see the bitch burn, I'm not picky about how it's done."
"Don't care, shut up, I'm listening to the fight," Ri snapped with a frown, folding her arms over her chest and continuing to watch Riku and Kairi exchange words. If she didn't want to know exactly what the girl had done to hurt her brother, she might actually think the entire affair was funny instead of thinking of different ways she might actually need to hurt the red head.
"…and I know the two of you would love nothing more than to try and break up the loving relationship that Sora and I have shared--that we've always had!" Kairi snapped, flexing her fingers slightly as they'd begun to ache with her holding her fist so tightly.
Riku didn't reply quickly at first. He simply curled his lips into a smirk, his eyes shining through his long bangs as he cocked his head to the side slightly. "Prove it."
Silence.
"Go ahead Kairi, I want to hear this one," he challenged, glaring at her with vicious malice and determination. "I want to see what new, creative way your going to try and worm your way out of this. I want to hear the new way your going to try and manipulate Sora."
"I've never tried to do anything like that to my Sora," she sneered, turning her attention to the replica immediately. " Though I'll gladly except your challenge Ku: Zexion makes those out of people he knows: they act, know. talk, sound--they do everything just like the real person they're replicating. And your using it to try to trick Sora and everyone else into believing that I've done awful things to them."
"And just how do you know that," Riku requested in a polite, calm manner and like fans watching a tennis match, everyone quickly looked at Kairi before she answered. " My first hint was when my lovely cousin," she paused to glare heatedly at Axel, who only gave a playful finger wave and blew a mock kiss. She rolled her eyes and continued. "Threatened me with the knowledge that he and few others were going to gang up on me to ruin my life!
"Then, once we got back to school after he decided it was a great idea to play 'bitch' for professor Saix," she teased, ignoring the instant fall of humor from Axel's face and Roxas almost lighten fast move to get to him and calm him, glaring at Kairi for the insult as if he might pounce himself. "I was blamed for telling an entire classroom that I set Demyx up to get expelled from school."
She quickly turned to glare daggers at Selphie, actually making the brunette at her side and the one she was about to address, jump at the random movement.
"I can't believe you!" she began, putting her hands on her hips. "You'd rather be with that low-life jerk that dumped you and help him plot against me, rather than act like an actual best friend and defend me--or at least tell me that everyone was going to try and gang up on me!"
"Yeah…well…after finding out that you told Jeremy to purposely go after me just to break Tidus and I up, I have ever right to expose you as the lying, manipulative, unfriendly…you that you are!" Selphie snapped and Tidus arched his brow before whispering "Um Selph? The rep-whatever told us what happened after we started helping out…"
"No one told you to date Jeremy and cheat on Tidus, you can't blame me for that!" Kairi insisted and Selphie shook her head. "You knew Tidus and I were already fighting because of the whole 'choosing sides' thing after Riku and Sora had their really big fight in the lunch room!
"And you knew Jeremy liked me! You knew that Tidus hated Jeremy because of he knew that Jeremy liked me and you're the one that convinced me that it would be okay to 'broaden my horizons' and at least talk to Jeremy after I told you I didn't really want to do it!"
"I still didn't tell you to make out with him or go out with him!" Kairi snapped.
"No, but you did tell him everything you knew about me to win me over and you also told me that you would talk to Tidus for me when I felt bad after I did that," Selphie screamed furiously, shaking now with her fist balled at her sides.
"You told me after the fact that Tidus wanted to break up with me! That's why Jeremy and I started going out--because I thought the relationship was over and Tidus wouldn't talk to me!"
"Well you're stupid for not talking your problems out with Tidus anyway instead of just making other people do it for you," Kairi sighed, shaking her head at the girl. "Why are you upset with me anyway? Tidus was the one that broke up with you once he saw you with Jeremy--and I was only trying to help you! You shouldn't have gone out with such a jerk anyway: he didn't even try to hear you out and was ready to call the entire thing off over here say! Why would you need a guy like that?"
"No, the better question is why the hell are you such a--"
"Tidus, whoa guy," Wakka called, trying to cool him down as the dirty blond pulled his girlfriend into a hug from behind, glaring at the red head. "Just because you don't approve of our relationship doesn't give you any damn right to try and take it from us. Who the hell do you think you are Kairi?"
"Well I thought I was Selphie's best friend, but after today, I can see otherwise," Kairi snapped, glaring at the Tidus before turning back to face Riku. "That's how I knew it was a replica. It spread lies about me and went out of it's way to turn everyone against me and get me in trouble. He made one before once and I know Zexion despises me--"
"Everyone does, what else is new," Riku added casually and Kairi ignored him.
"--and you've been trying for years to ruin our relationship since Sora and I started going out," Kairi proclaimed, glaring at him smugly now. "But it never matters, does it Riku? And do you know why?"
"I have a few theories, none of which have you in a good light, but your welcome to try and explain," Riku offered, seeming completely unfazed by her words.
"It's simple, Ku," she announced, smiling ever so sweetly at him as she placed her arms around Sora's neck and embraced him in a loving fashion--even though the boy didn't return the gesture.
"Because no matter what happens, I out smart you." she announced simply. "And it doesn't matter how many people try to help you. It doesn't matter what lies you try to feed Sora--it never works. Because he knows deep down that I would never try or do anything to hurt him! I care about Sora and everything I've done is for him."
There was a moment of silence as she kissed the boy on the cheek, watching Riku the entire time before slowly releasing him and pulling back from the gesture, Sora looking at her with a troubled, confused expression while Riku simply arched his brow.
Honestly, he had no clue how he would be able to prove to Sora that the replica was telling the truth--or how to even force the replica to tell Sora what happened seeing as she did act exactly like Kairi (especially toward him) and would probably agree with the girl and the self-righteous bullshit she was trying to pull at the moment.
"You can't be the real Kairi. I would never lie--I would never do something like this to Sora!" the replica snapped, seeming hurt by the girl's words.
Okay. Maybe not.
Kairi rounded on the replica, glaring at her in mild shock as it stepped forward. "Sora…I've hurt you so much," she told herself quietly, looking at her feet in shame and nervously playing with her hands.
"How," Sora asked softly, taking a step toward her, watching her with concerned eyes. "How did you hurt me…Kairi."
"No Sora, don't listen to it!" the real Kairi snapped, taking a hold of his wrist to which he snatched from her, glaring back at her with annoying. "Why?"
"Because I know it's going to lie to you!" Kairi insisted.
"Then you lied."
She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again, glaring at him confused, as if asking him a silent question of 'how'.
"You said that replicas act, speak, sound, and know exactly what the person they are replicating does. Why would the replica have to lie to me?"
"Everything can lie Sora," Kairi snapped, her voice biting on annoyance. "Zexion could have easily programmed it to--"
"Or it knows something that you really don't want him to hear," Riku cut in, glaring at Kairi with an unreadable expression. "And Sora obviously has enough doubt if he's even pondering the same."
"Why would he have to doubt me?" Kairi snapped before taking Sora's hand and looking at him in a pleading way. "Sora, why would you find a need to doubt me? I can't think of anything I've done--"
"Well for starters Kai, you just admitted that you have an idea about what happened to me if your insisting that she--it--would lie about something you both know," Sora began, staring at her concerned. "And then just a few minutes ago, you wanted me to leave and go off with you--"
"I just wanted to be alone with you!"
"But you were practically in hysterics trying to make me leave--and you rambled--like you had something to hide! Look, I know when there's something wrong with my friends," Sora insisted though he didn't pull his wrist away from her.
"Why won't you let it tell him Kairi? Let him make his own mind up on whether he believes it or not," Riku pushed, the first traces of a triumphant smile forming on his lips and Kairi glared at him but said nothing.
"I want to hear what it has to say," Sora decided, gently pulling away from Kairi finally and the red head looked up at him in alarm.
"But Sora--!"
"You futile efforts to postpone the inevitable are tiresome," a cold, calculated voice called from just a small distance away and everyone looked up to see Sephiroth approaching, with Cloud, Zack, and Zexion following closely behind him.
Ri looked around, not seeing the mohawked blond and frowning slightly. "Where's--"
"He's going over his lesson plans for the up coming week, when he will resume his status as musical arts director," Zexion replied, cutting her off and smiling faintly at the thought before his face hardened upon the sight of Kairi.
But the red head was focused on Sephiroth, trying hard to keep his unwaveringly glare before buckling and finally looking at the ground and focusing on something else before she could look back up at him.
"This childish game of yours grows weary and I'm afraid that upon my boredom, I have decided to end it," Sephiroth announced in a calculated manner, simply staring at the girl with an unreadable expression. "And to my unfortunate surprise, while Sora at the very least is not drowning in the stupidity of his naivety, the lesson has yet to be learned and once again, I am forced to step in."
". . .What?" Kairi, Sora, and Riku asked in unified confusion and Sephiroth simply narrowed his eyes at their ignorance before taking a few carefully placed strides to reach Kairi's side, his hands behind his back, his Mako green eyes catching her in a side glance.
"While I applaud your effort to ensure that your plan would indeed be a success, I am afraid that you have still made quite…amateur flaws little girl."
Silence.
"You see:
"When you intentionally had Namine erase Sora's memories, it was in fact because you did not want him to remember the events that had unfolded just moments before--but not for the reasons you originally claimed to your precious Sora upon him waking up," he announced and Kairi found a new boldness that most did not dare to have when speaking to the towering beauty.
"You can stop trying to talk me into circles, I know you're just trying to defend your bother," she snapped before glaring back at Riku. "Because once Sora does find out the truth, he'll hate him!"
"No. He won't," a soft voice replied in a tremble and she turned her attention back to Sephiroth only to see Namine standing beside him now, looking at the red head with regret and sympathetic eyes.
"I warned you Kairi…that the heart knows what the mind has forgotten. That's why Sora is able to doubt his trust in you…why he's been trying for unknown reasons to be with Riku and why once he finds out the truth, he'll be able to forgive him. We may have erased his memories of how he felt about Riku but never the emotion itself. That's imprinted in the heart--and while not having his memories might delude it, it wouldn't completely destroy it."
There was a heavy silence at Namine's words before Sephiroth took everyone's attention with a gentle chuckle--that somehow sounded sinister--before tilting his own head to the side slightly to glare at Kairi, his long hair sweeping off his shoulders.
"This replica, for your information little one, was made with the intention of simply telling any and everything that you've ever done to those close around you. It was not programmed to make anything up nor was it programmed to exaggerate any of the events that it remembers, courtesy of your mind--there is simply no need as most of the horrors you've committed against your friends and enemies alike are enough," he announced coldly watching Kairi open and close her mouth like a fish out of water before lightening seemed to strike Riku and he turned his attention to his friends.
"Tye, Selph, who told you about Kairi trying to intentionally orchestrate your break up?" Riku asked suddenly, glancing over at his friends with a spark of hope in his eyes.
"The replica," Tidus frowned and Selphie nodded, sniffling a little (she was still on the verge of crying but hadn't been able to pull it off yet) as she looked at him with question.
"And did Kairi--the actual Kairi--try to dispute the claim?" Riku pushed and Sora's eyes widened, finally realizing what he was trying to get at.
"No," the brunette announced, taking a step away from the actual Kairi and toward the replica, looking back at the astounded red head that didn't seem to realize what was going on. "No she didn't!"
"Sora, what are you--"
"Kairi, you didn't dispute what Selphie said at all… you just tried taking all the blame off yourself for what happened," Sora insisted in a soft tone, his eyes trained on the replica that still refused to look at him. "If the replica told them the truth--then it would tell me the truth as well."
Sephiroth simply tipped his head toward him curtly. "I see: the two of you are finally learning something.
"Sora, no! Riku's just lying--they're all lying--!"
"I wouldn't lie --not so Sora!" the replica snapped at Kairi, seeming insulted at the very thought as she took Sora's hands into hers and Riku glared at her instantly. "Then tell him! Tell him exactly what you told me!"
"She will not tell those this does not directly involve, not more than once," Sephiroth announced, staring at his brother. "It is in her programming--a safety precaution if you will--she only tells those involved in the actual events. She would simply address anyone else in the same manner the actual Kairi would."
Cloud sighed and looked over at his lover. "Then how are we suppose to get her to--"
"Kairi?" Sora asked the replica, addressing her in a soft, almost pleading tone, cutting his older brother off. She seemed to melt on the spot, looking up at him with deer like eyes and bated breath, waiting for him to continue.
Sephiroth's smirk increased, actually pleased with the fact that he didn't have to direct Sora in what to do next.
"Kairi please," Sora pleaded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze and pulling her close, his ocean blue eyes filled with hurt that she was keeping something from him. "I have to know--I need to know what happened to me. I won't be angry with you--I promise. Just tell me."
The replica glanced at him and then shook her head, looking uncertain. "I-I think your really going to be upset Sora. You--you might even hate me."
Sora frowned deeper in concern. What was it that Kairi has done that she honestly thought he might hate her for?
"Sora," the real Kairi pleaded, looking as desperate as she felt and bouncing anxiously in place as her eyes darted from Sora to the replica. "Please Sora--you can't--"
"I want to know Kairi," he insisted and Sephiroth simply nodded.
"He has ever right to know why his older sister is going to be in prison for the rest of her life," Ri added, glaring at Kairi in a way that was rarely seen from the blond: as if she were two seconds away from releasing the ultimate Sephiroth inspired ass kicking that the girl so desperately deserved.
Sora quickly glanced back at her. "Ri, no fighting. Mom would--"
"Mom isn't here, she has no idea what's going on, and if she's hurt you badly Sora, there's really not going to be much anybody can do to stop me," Ri warned, glaring at his brother in disapproval for trying to protect Kairi.
"We don't know what she's done yet," Sora insisted, sounding hopelessly optimistic. "It may not even be that--"
"Trust me Sora, it's bad," Riku snapped, cutting him off instantly and glaring at the real Kairi who now had become misty eyed again and looked terrified, looking around as if searching for the first place to run and hide.
Typical. But he had no plans of her going anywhere.
"Perhaps," Sephiroth began, watching Kairi with mild interest and humor, the girl looking up at him as if waiting for a blind hope that someone might save her. "We should allow the girl to speak herself. To give herself the chance to come clean with Sora--that way in the very least she can say that he heard it from the actual culprit instead of having several of his friends and loved ones having to do it for her."
He smirked at her. "You might fair off better in the 'forgiveness' session of this 'lesson'."
"I'm not playing your games you--you--" Kairi stammered, trying her hardest not to burst into tears.
She had been so close…to close…for this to come crashing down now. It was evident that Sora was ready and willing to possibly believe any and all things the replica said just from the little mistake she'd made with arguing with Selphie.
The only ace she had now lied in Sora himself: if she could persuade him--make him believe the claim was so outrageous that they had to be setting her up, then maybe, just maybe, she could win. Not only his heart, but Sora was bound to be so upset that they would try to do such a thing that he wouldn't speak to a vast majority of them, including that bastard Riku.
Besides, other than the replica, what proof could they possibly have?
Feeling the confidence, the slightest dim of hope, Kairi put on a hard face, still resisting the urge to cry and holding her ground in a staring contest with Sephiroth.
"I'll tell him."
Silence.
"I'll tell him what happened myself…I was trying to spare your brother and Sora's feelings but if that's the way you want to be--if you all," she paused to look at each every one of them, minus Sora. "Want to try and set me up like this then fine! I'm not holding back!"
"Then please," Sephiroth replied, inclining his head in polite manner. "Proceed."
"Sora, I'll admit that I have been lying to you," Kairi announced quickly, snatching his hands away from the replicated version of herself and holding them. She paused for a moment to stare into his eyes, finding fear, confusion…and understanding. Hope.
Her chance.
She would have to word this carefully…very carefully…but she knew she could get out of this--she'd gotten out of everything else so far and found her way back to Sora, why not now?
"The nightmares you have been having," she began softly, ignoring everyone else around them, focusing solely on Sora and his beautiful ocean blue eyes. "The ones you mentioned to me once…those aren't…nightmares. There your memories. Well…kinda of…"
"They're fragments," Namine encouraged softly, giving Sora a sympathetic smile as she held her position, looking around Sephiroth but staying behind him. "Fragments that your self conscious refuses to ignore."
"I was…we erased your memories Sora," Kairi admitted with a deep sigh and the look on his face was more than enough to make her continue. "Because what happened to you was so bad that I couldn't bare for you to remember it."
There was a moment of silence before Sora squeezed her hands. "Kairi…what happened to me."
She took in a deep breath, rewording it soundlessly in her mind before finally speaking again.
"I'm not sure what you were suppose to be doing that night," she admitted softly, looking at his hands now. "But when I found you…"
She paused, taking another deep breath, before glaring at Sephiroth. "Can't we have a little privacy--"
"The hell you can, we're witnesses," Axel snorted and Roxas crossed his arms, glaring at her coldly.
Kairi gave a soft cry of anguish before she turned her attention back to the spiky haired brunette. "Sora--when I found you--you looked like you'd been…attacked."
Silence.
"A-and you weren't really conscious so I took you to Namine--"
"Attacked how?" Ri cut in, sounding rather aggressive and Kairi tried her best to ignore her, taking in a small breath and trying to continue. "And she agreed that it would be best--"
"Attacked how, damn it!" Ri snapped, advancing forward and Sephiroth ceased her movement but quickly drawing out his sword and bringing it in a slashing motion downward in front of her. Vincent took her by the shoulders and Ri closed her eyes, taking in a nice, calming deep breath.
She usually wasn't the type to get so upset but she was more than a little fed up with Kairi by this point. It took her longer than it should have to get Sora and Riku back together in the first place, let alone having the little brat work up a new plan to break them apart.
The only difference was with this plan, if his erased memories were any indication, she was certain that Kairi had crossed into 'I need to be the overprotective big sister and kick her ass for messing with my little brother' territory.
"Answer her question: how was he attacked Kairi," Sephiroth demanded, glaring coldly at the girl and no longer hiding his contempt.
She looked at their hands thoughtfully, remaining silent and Sephiroth's eyes flared at her daring move to actually ignore his request.
He took a step forward. . .
"Tell me how I was attacked Kairi," Sora demanded in a soft, stern demeanor, watching her very closely, almost as if he were searching for a certain reaction. Kairi nodded gently and finally spoke. "Riku…I saw him…a-and you looked like you had been--like he had--"
"Kairi!"
"It looked like he'd raped you. Sora," she finally announced quickly, refusing to look at the boy as she said the words.
And the silence that followed was deafening. Selphie putting her hand to her mouth while Tidus and Wakka's hung open in shock. Riku looked as though he was simply fuming and Cloud eyes flashed dangerously before he calmed himself down, glaring at the girl while Ri was, to put it simply, being nearly cradled in Vincent's arms to keep her away.
Sora looked as though someone might have hit him with a bus: his eyes were wide, his lips quiver and his expression shocked and hurt. But never the less, he nodded gently, simply uttering "Oh."
"We knew it would hurt you to remember what happened Sora so we erased your memories," Kairi added quickly and Riku stepped forward. "Tell him the rest of it."
Kairi glared at him outraged. "Why don't you tell him the rest Riku! You're just as guilty as I am!"
Silence and Sephiroth arched his brow at her nerve. She was stupid enough to try this…
"Me."
"Yes you," she snapped hatefully, pointing at him in a rather dramatic fashion. "Because you're the one that raped him!"
Though the platinum blond didn't seem phased by her words in the least. "Well. You've certainly reached an all new low for yourself Kai. How does that feel, by the way?"
"You did! Sora!" Kairi called, turning back to him quickly and giving his hands a urging squeeze. "Sora tell them--about the nightmares!? Tell them what you saw!"
Everyone turned to Sora and he took a deep breath, pulling himself away from Kairi. "I-I think I understand them now," he admitted softly, his back to the group as he simply began to walk away, pausing finally when he got to the edge of the side walking looking at the street.
"I…don't remember what happened…but I remember the pain. And confusion. And heartache. And I do remember Riku's face."
"Sora," Riku began alarmed but Sephiroth held up his hand, urging him to stay silent, watching Sora expectantly.
"…I remember seeing his face…but I couldn't figure out why he would ever…hurt me," Sora announced, taking a deep breath and turning back to face them, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes, glaring at the red hear angrily. "B-But now I understand! Kairi! When you accused Riku of making a replica of you just to trick me--you fucked up!"
She recoiled at the tone of his voice and stared at him with worry and fear, shaking her head in denial. "Sora--"
"You said that Zexion had made a replica before! That's how you knew that the 'Kairi' Riku had was a fake!"
"I-I--!"
"His eyes Kairi! The replica's eyes! They're dead!" he screamed hurtfully, storming over to the false Kairi and looking directly into her dull, dead pools of navy blue, ignoring the fact that she took a step back from him. "His were just like her eyes--that's why I always felt scared around Riku until I looked into his eyes! Because I had to know--even subconsciously--that the real Riku hadn't hurt me, a fake one did!"
There was another round of silence as everyone watched Kairi fumbling with her words and rubbing her hands together anxiously, trying on the fly to think of something to say. But Sora wouldn't give her the opportunity.
"What are you hiding from me?" he demanded and she stammered. "I-I'm--I was just trying to protect--"
"From what?" Sora demanded angrily. "You haven't make it a big secret that you hate Riku! Why would you feel the need to protect him now? What are you really trying to hide? Why Kairi? Why don't you want the replica to tell me what happened? What did you do?!"
"Sora, I didn't do anything!" she pleaded, trying to reach out for him but he snatched himself away from her. "Stop lying to me Kairi! I know you did something!"
"I-I only wanted to protect you Sora, I promise!" she repeated in a shriek, going into hysterics now while everyone around them watched in awe at the spectacle. "I had to protect you from him Sora! He was going to ruin you! He was going to--"
"Stop trying to put this all on Riku Kairi, and tell me what you did!" Sora demanded, grabbing her by the arms and shaking her angrily, making her stare at him with surprised, hurt wide eyes.
". . .Zexion did it."
He, along with the rest of them, quickly looked at the replica, who was sniffling as though she might cry as well, stepping forward to looking up at Sora with deep regret. "I…I blackmailed Zexion."
"No!" the real Kairi screamed, lunging at the replica but Sora grabbed her swiftly from behind and hugged her close to him, nodding at the replica to continue, it staring at Kairi in alarm before realizing he wouldn't let her attack it before she continued.
"I threatened to tell the headmaster about his relationship with Demyx if he didn't help me," she continued softly. "I knew that he'd been working on a this project so I made him build me a replica. Of Riku…"
"Shut up!" Kairi screamed furiously in a hysterical sob but the replica ignored her and continued to speak, looking only at Sora.
"I told him to program the replica to…make sure that you would hate Riku. I wanted it to do the worst thing I could possibly think of that would turn you away from him. So…so I convinced the replica that you were very much in love and that the night it assaulted you--that you had promised the two of you would finally commit to one another completely.
"I told him that if you struggled, it would be alright because you would probably be a little frightened and just need to be coxed into it. So we went to spy on Riku and found out that you and he were suppose to be leaving and meeting someplace-- that took care of getting you coming out to meet the replica--and we knocked Riku out so he wouldn't get in the way.
"Then once you got there, the replica…he raped you. A-and I watched…because I had to make sure the replica would actually go through it. I was afraid that since it was suppose to act like Riku, despite me telling it that you really didn't mind and was just afraid, he might actually back out."
She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and looking at her feet now in shame, the real Kairi shaking her head in denial while rambling the word "No!"
"But what I didn't know was that Zexion," the replica paused to glare loathingly at him to which he only returned the gesture, sneering at the creation. "He programmed the replica to tell you everything! It told you that it was in fact, a replica and that I was the one that put it up to raping you--even that I was there! But luckily, you went unconscious--and I was able to trick Namine into erasing your memories so you wouldn't remember that I was involved."
The replica finally stopped speaking, turning away from Sora completely in shame, the real Kairi feeling her world completely shatter around her as she tried desperately to pick up the pieces, supporting herself on Sora alone as she was finding it harder to stand. She looked up at him, desperately. "You have to believe me Sora! I--I didn't--she--it--I--!"
"How…" Sora asked in a simple, soft tone, letting Kairi go instantly and red head went to the ground in the heap. "How…could you do this to me? Why?"
His arms were limp at his sides and he wasn't staring at anything but the ground; however while his eyes weren't visible, it was clear that streaks of tears were going down his cheeks. "What did I do to you Kairi? Why?"
"I…I…"
"I thought…you were my friend…" he pushed softly, struggling to keep his voice steady, his body shaking and on cue, Ri came forward to collect her brother in a warm embrace, soothing his hair down (to no avail) and whispering words of encouragement for him to calm down, glaring venomously at the red head as she pushed her fleeting thoughts of hurting Kairi to the side--for the moment.
"You lied to me…you lied to me about everything and tried to hurt Riku…" he rambled and Kairi shook her head. "I had to Sora! He as going to hurt you in the end--he always did! I didn't want to hurt you but I had to save you…I had to!"
"Sick," Ri muttered softly, shaking her head in disgust and Sora nodded numbly in agreement, staring at Kairi with hurt and confusion while his sister continued. "Something's wrong with you Kairi. You need help. You really do."
" No! Sora! You have to believe me!" she sobbed, shaking her own head now in dismay, completely ignoring Ri in favor of the now soft spoken boy.
"Your sick…" Sora whispered, repeating his sister's words.
"I'm so sorry Sora," Kairi screamed hysterically through her sobs. "I--I really care about you--love you--a-and Riku stole you away--"
"You can't steal something you never had Kairi!" he screamed suddenly, pulling away from his sister and startling more than a few of the spectators including her. Kairi herself looked at him in disbelief and recoiled at the harshness of his words.
Sephiroth frowned and looked down at Namine and she simply nodded. "He was already beginning to remember…but all this trauma…it's helping him do it quickly. But all these memories…they might be too much for him…he needs to sleep--"
"Let him finish," Sephiroth urged softly, his unwavering Mako green eyes watching the pair as the drama continued to unfold, giving his lover's shoulder a light squeeze to keep him from getting involved: he knew how Cloud could get about his younger siblings and both he and Ri had a tendency to treat Sora like the baby he was, even if they both refused to admit it.
And while he couldn't blame either of them for wanting to get involved, he knew it would be best if Sora took on the situation alone.
"I never--we never had anything Kairi!" Sora insisted, his mind a jumble of fragments starting mold themselves back together." We were just friends--just friends! And Riku…he--!"
"Calm down Sora, please," Riku coxed softly, touching the boy's shoulder while his counterpart took a step back to give him room.
But Sora shook his head and focused on the red haired girl he once trusted. "You've done nothing but try to manipulate me Kairi! If you really cared so much about me, loved me, then you would have been happy that I found someone that made me as happy as Riku did--no--that Riku does!"
"And will," the platinum blond whispered to him softly, watching Kairi coldly as the girl continued to shake her head in denial, not wanting to hear what else Sora had to say, no longer looking at them. "You're just upset Sora. Just…really mad at me…"
"He's not a damn puppet Kairi!" Riku screamed angrily, finally showing his first true signs of rage toward the girl since the entire matter had begun. "He's not a dam toy whose feelings you can play around with because your too selfish to let him be happy with someone who actually gives a damn about him!"
She still shook her head, as if he was wrong. "I was doing the right thing for Sora--and I was. I had to protect him. He doesn't understand and he never did--you've warped his mind--"
There was a loud, resounding smack that startled everyone and Kairi touched her cheek, looking up at Sora with large, doe like hurt eyes. He glared down at her, his chest heaving up and down as he slowly lowered his arm back to his side.
"Stop it Kairi. Just…stop," he said in a strangled, pained tone, shaking his own head. "Don't you understand? You had me raped just to make me hate Riku because you couldn't handle the thought of us being together! Not because he was going to hurt me--but because you knew I'd never be with you!"
"Sora! You don't mean that!" she rambled absently.
"Stop putting this on him, stop pretending I'm so naïve that I just don't 'get it'. This is your delusion Kairi, not ours." Sora screamed finally, his voice sounding as though it was beginning the first stages of becoming hoarse.
She didn't say a word to him, only continued to look at him hurt, touching her cheek, disbelieving that he'd actually hit her.
"Everything you've done Kairi…I can't," he shook his head, feeling dizzy and taking a stumbling step back, Riku catching him instantly and embracing him. "I can't Riku," he whispered softly and Riku nodded in understanding, looking over at Kairi as though he really might harm her.
Cloud watched his brother for a moment longer before looking over at Zexion hopefully. "Did you--"
"With only the greatest pleasure," he spoke gently, finally taking out the same small recording device he'd used before and clicking 'pause'.
Kairi eyed it in alarm and began to shake.
Those low, traitorous bastards. . .they tricked her--trapped her--and now Sora probably hated her if he didn't already.
She looked over at him, watching his eyes flutter as he mumbled something incoherently before burying his face in Riku's chest. The scene made her stomach turn but she had no tie to deal with it--not now anyway.
They had the entire confusion tapped--there was no way she could lie her way out of it if Sora and his family wanted to press charges on her for having him raped.
They may have lost the battle--and Sora…he was only angry at her right now. She was convinced that she could work things out if given the proper chance. But she would be damned if she would allow them to have that big of victory over her--no this war wasn't won yet.
With a cry of anguish she attacked Zexion, scratching him hard across the face as she tackled him to the ground, making him drop the device with a cry.
Before anyone could completely react to what was going on, she quickly stomped on the device and kicked it away before she sprinted away from the group as quickly as she could, somehow dodging the mad dive both Ri and Axel made for her and disappearing down the road, only speeding up when a trail of flames followed her, courtesy of her rather angry cousin for his miss.
"She's--" Selphie cried, pointing but paused when Sephiroth took a step forward toward Zexion.
"Let her go for now, it won't last," he demanded and the small framed silver haired boy quickly made his way over to the device, ignoring the now thin lines of crimson forming on his cheeks. "Damn! That little bitch actually broke it!"
"Then it's just going to be her word against ours," Cloud sighed angrily punching Zack in the shoulder hard, the raven haired boy crying out and glaring at the blond as if he had lost his mind.
The pair however looked up at Sephiroth's soft chuckle, barely loud enough for most to hear.
"Do you really think I would think up such plans without knowing my enemies and having a resourceful back up plan Strife?" he retorted with a light snort of ridicule before looking at the Kairi replica and simply walking over to her.
"What are you--!" she began in alarm before she seemed to faint, falling right into his awaiting arms before he fumbled with something on her back and pulled out a much smaller and sophisticated device, pressing the 'pause' button on it to make it stop recording.
Cloud rolled his eyes and Zack snorted while Ri sighed in triumph before she looked over at her elder brother then at Sephiroth. "I have to admit Seph, I never thought this plan of your would work--a wee bit complicated--but you really worked it out."
She gave him a playful bow and a salute. "I honor your greatness, general."
He simply narrowed his eyes at her before smirking a little at her antics--he would never admit it but he'd become accustomed to Ri's behavior--perhaps even enjoyed it at times.
He must be getting soft. He quickly turned his attention to his attention to Namine, his cold expression returning. "The boy will be okay, correct?"
"I believe he's going to be fine eventually," Namine spoke softly. "I'm certain a vast amount of them have already begun to try to piece themselves back together in his mind--though the process will be a lot less stressful on him now that he's sleeping," she admitted and he nodded curtly.
"And Kairi?" Roxas questioned and Axel stepped forward, a wild, wide smirk spread on his lips as his emerald eyes seemed to be ablaze with excitement. "Leave that to me."
Sephiroth arched his brow at him then simply smirked before looking at his brother and Sora, who was still in his peaceful state of unconsciousness while Riku embraced him closely, rocking him back and forth with his face buried in his hair.
"First," Sephiroth muttered softly to Axel, though he knew the others were listening just as closely. "I believe we'll just have to let Sora deal with her once she returns."
"Returns?" Zack snorted. "After what just happened? Nobody's that stupid Seph."
"No," he smirked. "But she most certainly is that desperate."
Author's Notes:
::squeals and dives under a table:: Okay, before you all try to attack me with your pitch forks and touches of hated because you feel that Kairi got off to easy, worry not! This story isn't over yet! I won't say what's in the next chapter but I will say that I'm quite pleased with the results so far. Shall I be nice and give you a hint::thinks and looks at Sephiroth plushie, whom simply arches his brow and snickers:: I do believe I shall give you one hint of what is to come:
-Kairi and Sora have their final confronation.
For those of you that read it, enjoy Deathly Hallows this Saturday! And as always, thank you guys so much for reading the story thus far as it means a lot! More to come very soon and as always: Happy Reading!!
-Kamirine