Author's Notes:
There were so many ways I wanted to do this chapter but alas, I found this way to be the most proficient. Warning, as there is a bit of violence in this chapter and I'm sure the ending will have you guys ready to hurt me. (It's also longer than I intended but oh well, not like that hasn't happened before::thumbs up:: )

But alas, I shall shut up and let you get on to reading!

Sephiroth's Guide to Love and Deception
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Origin of Mind

It was nightfall before the young teen woke up, not in his home, but in Riku's bedroom, stretched out like a cat on the boy's bed while the latter was no where in sight.

He placed a hand to his forehead and looked around. The room was dark and rather humid, and while he could hear muttering just down the hall from Sephiroth's room, all else was quiet. Sora paused to listen to the muffled words, trying to make out something.

"…broken tape…not sure when…new proof…"

Sora forehead wrinkled in confusion, no longer paying attention. It didn't sound like Riku was in there and he wasn't exactly sure who that voice belonged to or what they were talking about even. The brunette glanced over at Riku's desk to see the illuminated time from the digital clock: 12:45a.m.

Sora sighed and took a seat back on the bed, fighting the urge to lay back down.

He really wished he hadn't woken up at all. His body felt weighed down by drowsiness--he always hated getting too much sleep, he usually felt worse than he did before he committed the deed--not to mention he was actually very hungry. His head hurt and he felt dizzy.

And his memories…it felt like a veil had been lifted. Everything. Every single little detail--he remembered all of it.

And the mere thought of it made him want to die.

He didn't feel that anything could really express how he felt at the moment: violated, betrayed, hurt, angry, saddened--confused. No matter how hard he tried or how hard he thought about what happened to him--what Kairi had done to him--he just couldn't understand why the girl, a person who had been his best friend since they were younger children, that swore that she cared about and loved him, would hurt him in a such a manner.

He never would have believed that the girl would be capable of such a horrific act: yes Kairi may not have liked Riku and yes, apparently, she could be quite vindictive and vicious but…that? And all just so she could tear him away from someone he loved?

'If that replica hadn't told me the truth and I thought he really was him,' Sora thought miserably. 'If hadn't looked into it's eyes and realized he wasn't the real Riku. . .'

He shivered lightly. He just didn't want to think of what could have happened anymore. He didn't want to think about anything anymore, as the memories felt as if they'd tear him apart.

No matter how hard he tried, the images, the emotions…he couldn't get rid of them.

The way the replica touched him, the way it spoke to him, the way it tried to care for him even as it violated him---everything had been perfect. He was the perfect replication of Riku--his Riku. And while he knew that the replication was in fact just that--a fake version of the teen he was in love with--the mere thought of the images of Riku doing something like that to him were becoming too much.

'His eyes,' Sora repeated to himself for the millionth time since he'd awoken. 'I have to remember his eyes--it wasn't Riku's. I know it wasn't Riku. It just seemed like Riku, spoke like him…but it wasn't him.'

He started when something sailed through Riku's window and hit him right in his chest, tumbling off of it and to the bed with a soundless 'thud'. He looked down at the offending pebble before another came sailing through it as well, though this one hit him right in the forehead.

He hissed at the mild pain before rubbing the spot and getting to his feet, walked over to the window and leaned out of it, looking down at the ground below, frowning when he saw no one.

It was only when another pebble hit him from across the way did Sora realize his mistake and the teen looked up in time to see ocean blue eyes and red hair staring back at him, a gentle, almost tragic smile forming on the girl's face before in a flash, she scrambled out of his window and began to climb onto his roof.

'How did she--?!' he thought rapidly, climbing out of Riku's window and taking a flying leap, catching his own with his arms before without pause, he too climbed up to his roof, his heart now racing.

Kairi had been in his room--how had she gotten into his house? He knew his parents would be home, more than likely asleep. Cloud was questionable--he wasn't sure if he was with Sephiroth or in his own room as Sora climbed around the fixture and realized his light was off. However, looked down again as he continued to climb, seeing that the lights were on his sisters room, laughter drifting out from her window. (Though he wasn't exactly sure whom had the deep, almost eerily calm voice that was speaking in a rather angry tone while a voice he knew to belong to Reno laughed along side his sister…)

He grunted a little as he finally pulled himself over the edge of the roof and with a small burst of energy, flipped himself onto it, landing perfectly on his feet. He looked up quickly when he heard the soft, slow sound of clapping just ahead of him and found Kairi standing just a few feet away, eyes closed, a pleasant look on her features as she continued her action until finally, she grew tired of it and simply placed her hands behind her back, her deep blue eyes shining in the moonlight as she simply watched him, that pleasant look never leaving her face.

And there they stood, for what seemed like an eternity, with Kairi simply watching Sora peacefully, rocking softly to and fro from the heel of her feet to the toe as she normally loved to while Sora himself simply stared back her, arms lank at his side, a bemused expression on his features.

Then finally, he spoke.

"How did you get--"

"--in your room?" Kairi finished before laughing softly. "Sora, you never lock the window unless your angry. And since you weren't home, I just snuck in that way. I was waiting for you to come home then I saw you," she paused to frown in distaste. "In Riku's room."

She shook her head in sympathy before tilting her head to the side a little, looking at him with worry. "You're still angry at me, aren't you Sora."

A statement, Sora realized, though he couldn't help but notice the hint of hope in her tone. And it slightly surprised him how much that small action was pissing him off.

"Well I'm not sure Kairi, what do you think?" he snapped sarcastically, but otherwise keeping his tone controlled in a soft, teetering on being calm and collected demeanor. Sort of like… "Because I obviously have absolutely no reason to want to be angry at you right now, right?"

She flinched, her peaceful expression faltering instantly before she glared back at Sora with contempt. "I know I messed up Sora, you don't have to be--"

"Kairi, 'messing up' is accidentally putting the wrong answer on a pop quiz," Sora snapped and she shook her head to disagree. "I really didn't mean for all this to happen--"

"Then why did it?!" he demanded, feeling his hurt and anger get the better of him as it spread and festered throughout his being. "Kairi, I never did anything to hurt you! I even defended you when everyone else told me how horrible you were the last time you pulled this--this--whatever this is! How could you say that you never meant for anything to happen when you planned it--you went through with it--when you hurt me Kairi?!"

"Sora--"

"And you didn't even care!" he accused and at that moment, she looked insulted. "Sora! Of course I cared whether I hurt you or not! I didn't even want to do it but--"

"Then why did you?!"

"I had to!"

A bitter laugh escaped Sora's lips. "You had to. You had to go through the trouble of having a replica or Riku ra--doing what he did to me? Do you hear yourself Kairi? Do you?"

"You don't understand," she insisted in a soft, dejected tone and Sora frowned deeply at her. "What is there to understand Kairi? You're a horrible person--"

"I'm not!"

"A horrible 'so called' friend that has done nothing but tried to make my relationship with Riku miserable!" Sora snapped and Kairi seemed to collapse under his words, falling to her knees and covering her eyes with her hands, the brunette remaining quiet as he watched the girl fall into light sobs, feeling hollow at how much he could care less about bringing her to tears.

It wasn't like him not to care about people…but it was just so easy with her now…and it disturbed him, no matter what she'd done.

"I am not a horrible person, I'm really not! Sora, I know I shouldn't have done that to you," she sobbed, still bent over with her hands covering her face. "And I'm sorry, I really am! I knew I shouldn't have done it and I knew you'd get hurt but I thought…I thought it would make everything better!"

Silence.

"Riku…I was just so angry at him…I just hate him so much…" she rambled softly, almost to herself and Sora felt his heart clench. How could she possibly hate the platinum haired boy so much? Riku had never done anything to Kairi.

Nothing…

As if reading his mind, she continued, whipping the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hands, calming down. They were a bit puffy and red now and Sora had to imagine that the air was stinging them a little but Kairi seemed to take no notice as she slowly got to feet and walked the short distance to the side of the roof, taking a seat and swinging her legs over the edge. She looked out at the vast sea of stars in the sky and the calm ocean on the beach that sat only yards away from where they were.

It was actually a beautiful scene, one which Sora wished he could share with a different person under better circumstances. But be it as it was, he simply followed her, choosing not to sit next the girl but instead, stand a ways from her, looking at sky as well.

"This really is Riku's fault, Sora," she replied finally in a soft tone, her eyes still watching the sky and Sora simply listened instantly, hoping against that last shred of hope that the Kairi really wasn't as twisted and ugly as he'd never noticed her to be.

"I think…this all started when we were younger Sora. Back when we first met, as children. Do you remember that Sora? Selphie, Riku, and I saw you and thought you were an angel, so we tried making a wish on you? I think it started then. That's when I fell in love with you, after all."

He frowned slightly in distaste but still said nothing, his look going completely unnoticed.

"Everything seemed fine, didn't it? We all hung out together through the years, playing on the beach, racing, all sorts of things. A trio of friends--best friends--sharing each other's company, hogging each others time. But lately…or a few years ago Sora, things just, well, changed."

She instantly looked bitter. "You know, Riku and I were never really friends to begin. It's easy to play with someone when your younger cause you don't know any better: it's just silly children with no cares at all goofing around right? Parents always putting us together and making us play and get along.

"We were more like 'friends of circumstance'. We really didn't care when we were kids and as we grew older, we really didn't have much of choice," she paused again to laugh bitterly. "There really just aren't that many other people on the island worth hanging around. And besides, you were always with him Sora so I had to stick around him--to be around you."

Her eyes seem to grow darker at her last words and that was the first time Sora ever felt anything remotely like fear towards the girl--her hatred seemed to be--deep.

"You two were like twins or something--you see one, you see the other. Always together, sharing secret places and common interest--you know? I was always suspicious he liked you Sora--more than just a friend. He'll never like you as much as I do--no one ever can Sora, always remember that."

He shivered.

"Or maybe he really never liked you at all: maybe he was just pretending to get under my skin--Riku was always so good at that, doing things to get under my skin."

She paused again, seeming to think about something hard before scuffing a laugh and shaking her head. "You know, to this day I don't understand why Riku told me. Maybe it was a vain attempt to try to rekindle a friendship we barely had--over something we both liked--or maybe more than likely it was because he knew how I felt and as always, wanted to ruin everything.

"But one day he just pulled me aside and confessed his never ending love for you."

She snorted and this made Sora frown--that someone could find contempt and humor in someone who was willing to admit their feelings for someone else. Especially someone that wasn't as open as Riku.

"Maybe, Kairi, Riku really did believe you guys were still friends. Maybe you were the only one that thought--"

She shook her head and his words faltered. "No Sora, I wasn't alone in that. I know I'm the bad guy today but I wasn't the only one. You just didn't notice…you never do…" she couldn't help but smile. "I…I would be lying if I said I didn't use that to my advantage Sora. That your so naïve."

"Trusting someone you thought was your friend isn't being naïve Kairi, I just didn't think you were that much of a bit--of a horrible person," Sora snapped and her smile faded as she looked over at him.

"My feelings for you were obvious to Riku Sora! Obvious--he knew!" she insisted. "Riku's not like you, he picks up just about anything! And out of no where, he just comes along and tells me that he might like you?! You guys already spent so much time together! He already hogged you all to himself--and now he wanted you the way I've always wanted you to? I was crushed at how selfish he was being! And he was doing it on purpose no less!"

"Kairi, damn it, I didn't know you liked Sora!" a voice snapped angrily and both looked up to see Riku simply sitting on the edge of the roof across the way from them, quickly getting to his feet and storming over. "I came to you for advice! Wakka and Tidus wouldn't have understood--not really! And Selphie, well, she just wasn't going to be any help to me. You always seemed like the reasonable one! I thought that you'd want to help me because I thought we were friends! I wasn't trying to rub anything--"

"Stop lying Riku," she snapped viciously, getting to her feet and glaring at him accusingly. "You did everything on purpose and you tried rubbing it in! You told me that you liked Sora and then you tricked him into going out with you--"

"He didn't trick me into doing anything Kairi, he didn't have to!" Sora snapped defensively and she rounded on him. "And there you go again Sora! Always defending Riku when he does something wrong to you, just going along with his stupid little plans! Like always!"

"I wasn't 'going along' with anything Kairi, I actually liked Riku," Sora exclaimed, seeming amazed by the girls way of thinking. "And I still do!"

She recoiled at the last statement as Riku simply looked over at the brunette with a grateful smile--Riku had been more than a little worried that this entire ordeal would take it's toll and Sora and was more than prepared to take a 'time-out' if Sora wasn't able to cope with…what happened to him with his replica…but he was glad to see at the very least that Sora still cared about him.

Kairi looked between the two, staring the longest at Sora, right into his eyes, before looking almost triumphant and crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't Sora."

The pair stared at her in silent flabbergast.

"You're influenced I think," she continued softly, almost in heavy thought. "He was always able to talk you into anything, wasn't he? Going out with him. Turning on me. Running off to some unknown place so I couldn't get to be around you--yep, I knew all about your little plans to sail off into oblivion, don't be so surprised!" she snapped, glaring at Riku as he gave her a mock look of being impressed.

" You didn't see it Sora--and you probably never will--but Riku, he's just so bad for you! And had to save you, you know? And I really thought that kiss with Zexion would break you guys up."

She smirked. "And I'm happy to say that it did."

Sora only stared at her troubled while Riku looked as simply waiting for a signal to throttle the girl.

"I wanted to be--I was going to be there for you. When you shattered--I knew you would, you're real emotional, for a boy--but then you just ran away and I wasn't able to help you! I mean, I was glad my plan worked--and even more so when you sent my that necklace. The crown pendant, remember?"

"I remember Kairi."

"It meant a lot, you now," she smiled briefly glaring at Riku as if she'd won a little battle before continuing. "And when you came back, I didn't think I had anything to worry about: you still hated Riku, we were still on great terms and it was only a matter of time right? Before you noticed the way I stared or how we felt for one another?"

"Wow Kairi, your deep in that delusion, huh?" Riku asked sarcastically but she ignored him.

"But Axel," she looked livid for a moment. "That stupid jerk, he set me up! He got Zexion to tell him everything and gave you that stupid tape. Do you understand Sora? How much it hurt me when you looked at me with such much--"

"Hate?" Riku cut in matter of factly. "Well you better get use to that look Kairi, cause I doubt he'll be looking at you with much else!"

But she shook her head, looking at him with satisfaction. "Sora forgave me, remember Riku? He gave me another chance--because he cares about me. He wants me around! And he wantedme to get rid of you!"

Sora stared at the girl startled and Riku was trying hard not to burst out into laughter--this was becoming sad. Very, very sad.

"I blame you for what happened after that though Riku, just so you know," she whispered softly, glaring at him with hate. "Because like always, you found a way to worm yourself back into his life. And his heart. The heart that should have been mine--that you knew should have been!"

"Worming themselves back into someone's life sounds more like what you did Kairi, not me," Riku snapped and she instantly looked defensive. "Sora invited me back into his life--!"

"And I invited Riku back," the brunette spoke in a soft, matter of fact fashion that made the girl pause, Riku taking the opportunity to speak up again. "And for the record, as many times as I've said it to you so try paying attention this time: you can't claim something you never--"

"Well that's why I thought of my new plan, idiot!" she announced rather loudly and Sora was convinced she had no intention of hearing the rest of Riku's sentence. "One that I knew was certain to work and get what I always wanted: Sora all to myself and you far out of his life--as it should have been!

She looked up at the brunette with pleading eyes before proceeding. "I didn't want to hurt you Sora, I promise I didn't! But it was the only way that I could ensure that you would never end up with Riku! That I could get rid of him and that you would see how horrible a person he really was for you! That you'd finally see what he'd blinded you to: me!"

Riku stared at the girl with mild disbelief while Sora simply stared at the girl for a moment with an unreadable expression before without warning, took a step forward slapped Kairi hard across the cheek, surprising both Kairi and Riku (though Riku pleasantly) as she reeled to the side, holding on the roof tightly so she wouldn't slip off.

She looked at him with wide eyes full of confusion and pain and he took a deep breath. "Did that help?"

"Help?!" she shrieked.

"Yes, Kairi, did it help snap you out of whatever imaginary world you've been living in?" Sora snapped, crossing his arms over his chest and Riku through up his hands while mouthing 'Finally!'.

"Riku didn't 'blind' my feelings for you--they just weren't there Kairi!" he snapped. "It's called one-sided love Kairi! You were my friend--or at least I thought you were--but that was it! Riku and I--we may not have been in love at the time but we were curious and willing to see where it could go!"

"He tricked you Sora!" she screamed angrily, her face red and livid. "You make this sound like your some grand love story when it's not! He got you drunk and he had his way with you! How can you believe--"

"I didn't make Sora--!"

"He didn't make me drink anything at Tidus' party, I chose to do that!" Sora snapped cutting both of them off and Kairi proceeded to argue. "You don't drink, Sora! Riku--"

"Doesn't drink either, we didn't know the punch was spiked!" he insisted. "And yeah, maybe what happened that night wasn't suppose to--"

"It was a mistake Sora and it wasn't your fault!"

"Fine, Kairi, then it was the best damn mistake I've ever made, whether I meant to or not!" he screamed finally, his own cheeks flushing with anger and slight embarrassment as Riku looked over at him while Kairi's mouth snapped instantly shut, glaring at him.

"Riku didn't make me do anything I didn't want to--I--we--I wanted him to do it!" he cried, cheeks growing redder still. "He didn't try to come on to me, it was the other way around! And if he was just trying to use me, he wouldn't have been there the next morning Kairi! He wouldn't have offered to omit the entire ordeal--or even stop being friends if I wanted to! If it would make me feel better to not be around him anymore!"

"Sora," Riku called softly, touching his shoulder. "Calm down, you don't have to explaining to--"

"But I wanted to be with Riku!" Sora continued, pulling out of Riku's hold gently. "And I wanted to see what we had, if anything! We agreed to go out Kairi, he didn't try to manipulate and trick me into doing it like you tried! He didn't try blackmailing people like you did or using someone's past faults to guilt them into doing stuff like you did to Namine!"

Both Riku and Kairi watched him in silence, Riku calmly watching the boy, no longer trying to stop him while Kairi watched him with worry and alarm, the verge of crying it seemed.

"And Riku--he would never think that raping someone he was suppose to be in love with--oh, excuse me. Pretending to have the very person that he knows full well that I'm in love with rape me just to drive me away from them! You weren't trying to do anything to protect me Kairi, you were being selfish! Selfish and sick!"

"I wasn't--"

"You had me raped Kairi, don't you even understand that! And you watched!" he screamed, ignoring the tears welling in his eyes or Riku's soft touching as he tried consoling him with, rubbing small circles in his back.

"You just sat there, listening to me scream for help! Watching me try to fight to get away and watching that--that thing--hurt me! But you love me, right? You only did it to protect me? For my own good? Do you hear yourself? How twisted do you have to be to really believe that Kairi?! That I would actually like someone that would hurt me this badly?"

"You always understand Sora!" she shrieked, looking enraged. "You always forgive people! You forgave me for setting up that fiasco in the lunchroom, after all! Why wouldn't I think that even if I did mess up, even if this was really bad, what I did, that you wouldn't forgive me this time?! You do it all the time, you're such a good person Sora! I messed up but you'll forgive me! You just need a little time! Without Riku telling you how to feel--"

"I am this close to flinging you off the roof Kairi…" Sora warned in a malicious hiss and she took a subconscious step back, proving to Sora that she didn't trust him that much at the moment. "What in the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I can answer that," Riku volunteered softly but he ignored him--he wasn't in the mood for jokes at the moment. " Why couldn't you just be happy for us? Why couldn't you understand that I'm happy with Riku and that he's a great boyfriend?! That I didn't like you the same way you like me, that I won't and damn it, that I never will?!"

There was a deafening silence--not even the normal nightly sounds of the islands insects or animals could be heard--as the two simply stood there, staring at her while she glared back Sora's tears falling silently fewer as the moments past--she just wasn't worth the tears, he told himself, and he was trying hard to stop crying, Riku simply glaring at Kairi hatefully. Kairi however, stared, back at them with an unnerving, vacant expression.

Finally, she nodded slowly, looking down at her feet and playing nervously with her hands, shaking slightly. "Your…never going to forgive me for any of this, are you Sora?"

Riku looked over at Sora with question now and for a long moment, Sora simply stared out at the sea of stars before answering her. He had absolutely no reason to do so after what she'd done--he could barely stand the sight of her now--and he was certain he had found the first person he'd ever met to loath. Not even his feelings for Riku when he was in Twilight Town--when he thought Riku had cruelly dumped and abandoned him-- could compete with the way he felt about her now.

But there was a weakness that unfortunately, not even he could ignore and Kairi knew it--he knew she did. He was naturally, a forgiving person. He always had been, no matter what was done to him. And in the end, he knew what his answer would be.

"No," he replied softly, shaking his head. "At least, not right now Kairi."

She looked up at him, hopeful again, making Riku sneer at the girl while Sora frowned at her as well.

"Don't bother Kairi: I didn't say I was ever going to like you again," Sora announced in an uncharacteristically cold fashion, making the blood seem to wash out of the girl's features. "I'm not going to be your friend and truthfully, I don't even want to even see you again after this moment--unless it's in a courtroom for what you've done to me, let alone Riku and your own cousin."

Kairi looked at him thoroughly shocked and Riku with slight pride but Sora continued. "But yeah Kairi, in time…one day…I will forgive you. Not because I care about you or heaven forbid, ever love you.

"No Kairi: it's because in the end, when I really think about it, I'm just going to feel very sorry for you. Because just being with Riku, happy and in love, and knowing that it was the very thing you were trying so hard to prevent, that despite everything you tried, we are still together and happy--I know that is going to bother you Kairi for the rest of your life. You'll be bitter and hold a grudge and probably never understand that you are your own reason for being this unhappy--that it is because of what you've done, not Riku, that we can't even be associates.

"I'll feel sorry for you because you realized that you lost a fight you never should have bothered with in the first place--because I was never going to love you no matter what you did. And in my sympathy Kairi, I'll finally forgive you because that's the only thing you deserve."

"And damn it, you don't even deserve that from Sora," Riku snapped angrily and the girl simply watched Sora, looking hard into his ocean blue eyes with her own. She seemed to be searching for something--doubt--anything that she could use as an aid to deny what he'd said. To give herself hope.

Before finally, Sora felt as though he wanted to scream in relief as her face faltered drastically and dawning seemed to grace her features as she realized that Sora meant ever word he'd said.

He didn't want her and he never would. He wanted Riku--he always had--and he wasn't going to 'let her in' again. He wasn't going to smile big and take her apology and everything would be fine.

He hated her. He wanted nothing to do with her. And if Riku had anything to do with it, he would ensure that the boy would press charges against her--not that it mattered.

If she couldn't have Sora, her life was over anyway wasn't it? But she couldn't just let Riku have him--she wouldn't…

A look of utter loathing appeared on her face before her nose flared and she put her hands on her hips. "I won't--I won't be miserable alone Sora! I don't deserve that no matter what you think! You can't prove that had you raped--any of it!"

Silence.

"I broke the tape Zexion had. And your brother," she began, rounding on Riku. "Isn't as clever as he thought! I know the second tape--the one he stashed in my replica--it broke. I heard him in his room talking to Zexion and that other boy! You can't make out most of the conversation on the tape--you've got no evidence."

She gave them a smug smirk and narrowed her eyes. "It's just he-said, she-said! My word against yours."

Her eyes narrowed and a rather vicious smile formed on her face. "Zexion already destroyed Riku's replica so there's no way to prove that the real one didn't rape you. And Zexion won't dare speak on your behalf, even if he does hate me--it makes him an accomplice because he made it, remember?"

She shook her head, scuffing on the verge of laughter. "Raped by someone you thought loved you--your own boyfriend--I'll just tell them your too traumatized--or better yet, that Namine altered your memories! They'll believe me because too many people know she can do it! Why do you think she had to move here Sora? They use to call her witch at her old school!"

Sora just looked at the girl in disgust and disbelief as Riku watched her in a calm, almost calculated demeanor, seeming to be in heavy thought as she continued. "Even you will have to testify that it was 'Riku' that did it, and since you can't prove it was a replica, I think it's safe to say that your precious Ku will be going to jail a lot faster than I will!"

"You hate him that much?" Sora replied, staring at her with open dislike now and she simply hunched, absently flicking her hair over her shoulder. "I thought you said you weren't that naïve earlier today Sora--shouldn't that be obvious by now? He stole the one thing I've always wanted, no matter how much you've deluded yourself into thinking we never could have been anything. And if I can't be happy with you Sora--if you just refuse to understand how much I've gone through to get us to work and be happy--then I'll ruin him. Maybe you will hate me and I won't get to be with you Sora--but neither will Riku."

She turned her attention to glare at the platinum blond, a vicious look of triumph on her face. "No one wins Sora, but I win in the end, don't you think?"

"Misery loves company I suppose," Riku announced calmly and Kairi sneered. "Don't try to act cool about things Riku, I'm going to destroy you and you know it! And at the very least, I will be comforted by that!" She turned her attention back to Sora. "So go ahead, try and turn me in to the police. But I'll ruin Riku if you do. And that's a promise."

There was a heavy silence between the trio as everyone looked at one another, Sora not finding a way to believe just how low Kairi would actually go to ensure that they wouldn't be happy if she couldn't--how he'd never noticed or realized how much of a horrible person she actually was.

But both he and the rather vindictive red head looked over at Riku when they both heard a soft 'click'. He only let a slow smirk form on his lips before gently beginning to pull something out of his pocket.

"You just never knew when to shut that big mouth of yours up, did you Kairi?" Riku announced, holding out a small recording device that he was no longer trying to conceal. Kairi looked down at his hand, her eyes widening as a look of pure shock entered her features.

He waved it at her a little. "And you really should give my brother more credit Kai., he gave me a great idea: I heard the same conversation you did as I was going to check on Zo. I slipped in his room and snatched this off his dresser before leaving, 'seemingly' unnoticed but I did notice there was a fresh new tape in it. Consequently, isn't it?

"Then I saw Sora climbing out of my window just as I was coming in and I hung out on the side of the house--you were too busy trying to blame me for everything to notice me sitting there. I've been recording the whole thing since you guys started."

Kairi was taking deep, heaving breaths, looking at Riku with murder in her eyes as he pressed a small button on the device, ignoring Sora watching him with grateful yet surprised expression of awe, before he clicked the button again and Kairi's own words were played back for her:

"…I've always wanted, no matter how much you've deluded yourself into thinking we never could have been anything. And if I can't be happy with you Sora--if you just refuse to understand how much I've gone through to get us to work and be happy--then I'll ruin him. Maybe you will hate me and I won't get to be with you Sora--but neither will Riku."

Kairi's lip was quivering as she tried hard to contain herself emotions, watching the device and the boy holding it with utter loathing.

"No one wins Sora, but I win in the end, don't you think?"

"Misery loves company I suppose."

"Don't try to act cool about things Riku, I'm going to destroy you and you know it! And at the very least, I will be comforted by that!"

"So go ahead, try and turn me in to the police. But I'll ruin Riku if you do. And that's a promise."

The machine fell to silence then finally turned itself off and Riku stashed it in one of his baggy pockets plum pants pockets, watching Kairi the entire time with cold, cruel, aquamarine eyes.

"How long do you think it will take Kairi?" he questioned in a casual manner. "You know as well as I do that Axel probably told your parents everything--that's where he went after you ran off. And even if they don't believe him, they will now. Everyone will. And if Sora won't tell his parents what happened, Ri, Cloud--I'll tell them what you did."

He patted his pocket. "And let them hear this as proof."

She shook her head, sucking at her teeth and looking over at Sora hurt. "Did you tell him to do this? Did you--"

"I didn't know but I'm glad he did," Sora announced softly. "It will make things easier in a few days. Maybe then--but I doubt it--you'll understand what you've done Kairi. What you've put us through."

Kairi looked at him startled, simply watching the boy with shock and utter betrayal before rounding on Riku, fighting back the urge to sob as he simply watched her with an impassive expression, his eyes saying all he needed not at this point: He won. Completely this time.

And they both knew it. But Kairi would be damn if this was finally over.

". . .Everything," she muttered softly, shaking in fury and balling up her fist, glaring at Riku with such wild fury that Sora took a conscious step backward, Riku himself even frowning but arching his brow none the less.

"You stupid…selfish…evil bastard! Y-you ruined everything!" she shrieked and without warning, she advanced at them, Sora stumbling away from them as she pushed Riku hard, trying to send him over the edge, the teen catching her arms and using her as a way to steady himself before pushing her away from and sending her crashing to the shingled roof with a small role, startling her a bit but not stopping her as she got to her feet and attacked again, punching him as hard as she possibly could in the face, while Riku simply grabbed hold of her wrist again, trying to stop her from attacking.

"Kairi, stop!" Sora screamed rushing over and grabbing her around the middle to try to pull her away but she squirmed away from him and pulled out of Riku's grip, quickly reaching into her own pocket for something before they could try restraining her again.

But this time, she advanced at Sora, seemingly blinded by her own fury. "You chose him! You chose him and I hate you! How could you let him ruin everything!"

Sora caught something in her hand before she tried to push him over the edge of the roof--and his eyes went wide as he watched Riku step in the way instead, struggling hard to keep from knocking Sora over the edge and push him over in the direction of safety as he himself stumbled backward, Kairi pulling away as he gently touched the place she'd pushed him.

All three of their eyes fell on the rather small object protruding from his chest--a pendant--Sora's crown pendant--only it seemed to be attached to something now…hilt. She'd used the pendant to add to a dagger, the blade of the weapon completely buried in the boy's chest and even the tips of the pendant that decorated the middle of the hilt were not visible as she'd been able to stick it in rather deep--before in vain, Riku tried to catch himself, to keep himself from falling.

A second of success. Two. Then no more as finally, he snatched at the air, eyes wide in alarm as they settled on Kairi who simply stared back at him with a hatred Sora had never seen the girl possessed until today…before Riku sailed over the side of the roof and disappeared into the night, landing on the ground below with a sickening thump.

There was a moment of disbelief and the world seemed to be a blur as he Sora simply stared tat the spot, frozen in time. Baffled, confused at exactly what had happened.

Before he felt his chest heave, the fresh tears stinging his eyes, the uncharacteristic howl that erupted from his mouth as he ran toward the spot where Riku had fallen and started to climb off the roof to get to him.

"No Sora, don't! Let him die, it's better this way!" Kairi cried insanely, grabbing him by the arms before he tried pushed her violently away from, loosing his on balance of hanging off the side and crash-landing harshly in the bushes below.

He landed on his arm wrong, it was already aching and swelling, but he ignored it in favor of rush-crawling to Riku's side, just as the front door to Riku's own slammed open and out walked Sephiroth, who was quickly being followed by his own brother, Zexion, and Zack.

Sephiroth's eyes immediately to his brother and he all but sprinted over, not taking Riku away from Sora as he didn't want to arm him, but pulling Riku's hand away from the spot he'd been stabbed, before glaring up at Sora with such fury that it down right terrified the boy, as if he'd been the one to do this to him.

"Where is she?" Sephiroth demanded harshly, his voice no longer calm and calculated but cold and fierce, the malicious of his tone dipped with murderous intent.

"What happened?" Ri cried as she opened the door to their home, rushing out of the house followed by their mother and Vincent, Mrs. Madison taking one look at the situation and immediately running back into the house calling for DiZ to call the police and an ambulance.

"S-she may be still on the roof," Sora quivered, trying hard to sob. "S-she was trying to stab me and R-Riku got in the way…she pushed him…and…and…he fell…!"

Sephiroth got to his feet, seeming to glide like Death himself as he simply went toward the side of the house, catching his long sword as Cloud tossed it to him upon following him--when had he gone in to get it, Sora didn't know--while Ri tried follow him but he pointed at his home instead. "Call my parents, tell them Riku's been hurt and to meet us at the hospital."

And without another word, both she and Zack went back into the house while Zexion immediately ran into Sora's home, calling back that he was going to get something to help try and stop the bleeding.

"Hurts," Riku complained softly, getting Sora's attention again and the brunette immediately took Riku's hand and squeezed it, his free hand smoothing back his hair to try to comfort him.

Sora fought the panic rising in his chest and tried not to fall apart but when Riku's eyes began to flutter, he couldn't help the high tempo of fear from his voice.

"No! Stay awake! Riku, come on! Just stay with me okay! Help is coming, help is going to be here at any moment!" he pleaded as he listened to the boy's shallow breathing.

"Keep him awake Sora!" DiZ bellowed as he ran over in his pajama's, Sora's mother frantically talking to the emergency worker on the phone as she watched the scene at the door, Zexion alone with Reno stood with her, trying to keep her calm and watching what was happening all the same.

DiZ placed a cloth drenched with elixir over the wound and around the weapon, being careful not to apply too much pressure and make the matter worse before he left the boy to Sora to go stand in the middle of the street and flag down the ambulance when it arrived.

The color was draining from Riku's face and Sora could tell he was trying hard to stay awake but he was loosing the fight and Sora was caught up in Riku's features, his fading, aquamarine eyes…no…he didn't want to see those eyes on Riku.

His attention was snatched away as a shriek from the roof was heard, and he looked up to it. There was the sound of a scuffle and he heard his mother gasp "Oh my goodness!" as the silhouette of three people began to fight.

The smallest, Kairi, had pushed the tallest and the one Sora knew to be Cloud's caught the girl around the middle and flung her backwards--she was trying to run away and they'd caught her--before there was a brilliant, almost beautiful flash of silver that soared through the air in a horizontal fashion between the silhouette of Sephiroth and Kairi, making Cloud take a hurried leap back.

No one moved. There was no sound. And then finally, Kairi fell forward, almost in slow motion and crumpled to the roof before rolling off the side crashing into the same bushes he had below.

Sora's breath caught in his throat as he watched his mother run over to the bushes, shouting that another person may have possibly been hurt as the people on the roof began their decent down the side, in no hurry.

Kairi wasn't moving away from the bush…

Sora looked down at Riku when he felt the latter's fingers move in his hand, brushing against the palm of his hand gently, trying to grab it as his fading aquamarine eyes fell on him as they began to water…Riku was crying…he never cried….

"D-don't!" Sora cried, trying hard himself not to burst into sobs, squeezing his hand and leaning over, pecking him on the lips, trying to keep Riku with him before his ears picked up a sound that was like music to Sora now. "Here that? The sirens? Help is coming Riku--it's practically here! Don't flake out on me now! Please?! Just hold on--I need you Riku, please, you have to hold on!"

At first, Sora thought Riku was once again trying hard to take deep breaths until his he heard a gurgling sound--Riku tying to talk. "Ssshh! No, don't Riku, don't speak, just stay awake and hang on."

But Riku's lips moved never the less, barely, but forming words. Private, tender words that were making Sora loose his composer, the gentle small never wavering as his eyes began to become so heavy, almost shielding the beautiful life that he had left within them from the word.

"Can't…so…sorry…Sora…"

"Riku…Riku no, don't!"

'I love you. . .' he mouthed wordlessly, no longer having the ability to use his voice, his eyes shimmering with tears before Sora felt his hand weaken and slip from his, the ambulance workers running toward the pair as his eyes finally fell to a close…

Author's Notes:
By far, my favorite cliffhanger. I completely changed the ending of this chapter (twice) because the original was far to silly and 'out of no where'. Plus I really just wanted to get under people's skin with ending a chapter this close to the end like that.

::Takes a deep breath:: Well guys, the next chapter is the last one. I'm truly debating what will happen next, as this was the only part that wasn't planned (minus one particular part). Who get's their happy ending remains to be seen I suppose--if anyone gets their happy ending. ::Looks gravely at my Riku plushie::

Please don't hurt me for the ending of the chapter, (At first, Sora was the one that got stabbed…) I didn't want to do it either but it's created an avenue I want to go with the ending. And before you celebrate: Kairi being dead is questionable. She still my be alive yet. ::dodge onslaught of weapons throw at me::

It's been shown indirectly, (though he does actually say this) that Sephiroth has a history of being the 'protective older brother' and often, solving Riku's problems. (This is shown in small ways, like threatening Kairi in the bedroom, Cloud mentioning that Seph punched him after Sora fell out of the tree and he (Mr. Strife) blamed Riku, going to fight Saix and now this chapter.)

It became a matter of "learning a lesson the hard way": While he could have stepped in and ended the plan before it even began, what would that have done? Sora is known for being quite forgiving and a little naïve and Kairi has already shown that she can and will exploit this personality trait he has, just as she had before after he learned the truth about setting him and Riku up the first time.

And further more, Riku (in his view) didn't do enough to rectify the matter himself as Kairi was able to formulate yet, another plan. It was just about to become a rather vicious cycle and Sephiroth chose to end it in a manner that Kairi couldn't get out of: to show Sora rather than tell him just how vindictive and vicious the girl actually was.

He also owed Kairi for intentionally trying to ruin things in his relationship with Cloud.

So Sephiroth found himself completely many task at once: showing Sora what type of girl she actually was no matter how much he wanted to believe and cling to the naïve hope that Kairi wasn't as bad as she was seeming while also showing the boy his own faults; forcing Riku to get Sora back himself without much help (which he did, Sephiroth and the gang only planned to show Sora what Kairi had done, it was all Riku that got Sora to start falling for him again even without his memories), and overall, just bringing that bitch down was his ultimate goal.

And as far as people understanding and liking him: that's just the type of character Sephiroth is. You either like him the way he is or you simply don't. He changes for no one, though this is arguable when it comes to Cloud. ::wink::

They all have simply, especially Cloud, become accustomed to Sephiroth's personality and have had years to adapt to it.

Thank you guys so much for the questions and reviews and just reading the story thus far! I'm looking forward to the next chapter and I promise that I will try my hardest to post it up as soon as possible!!

But until then: Happy Reading!!

-Kamirine