Part Twelve

His eyes came open wide when a cold pain came to the back of his neck, being dropped to his knees. Somehow his blue eyes reflected in the bright light coming from the center. He saw the reflection the water to his side from the ceiling, looking out forward to meet the image of a platform, white fence around it except for the entrance way. As his eyes focused completely, he saw someone kneeling there, dressed in the same clothes, but emotionless, her eyes half open. She stared blankly forward, her hands to her sides, as the rays of light came upon her. He thought for a moment they had been brought back into the real world, somehow, but it couldn't be possible, and he knew it was a trick. His hearing had finally gave out on him, but he could still read lips, hers moving to his name. That was when he knew, though it maybe a some trap, that it was her, and not come sort of illusion. He ran forward, a figure taking his place in the darkness which he had been in.

"Let's just bring back a reconstruction, hmm?" he said, looking up to the ceiling above Jeria and smirking.

Riku ran up, slowly coming towards her as to not make any suddenly moves. He just stared in silence for a moment, Jeria still looking ahead of herself. That was, until she finally looked up and smiled softly, sighing. He was about to step forward, but a shadow suddenly spread above them, Riku looking up to see what it was. Jeria only looked down, shutting her eyes in knowing what it was.

"Death," she spoke quietly, "is only the end for those who believe so..."

The shadow in the light lifted the sword in its hands, about to strike down a mighty blow. Riku looked down, knowing where it was heading, as she smiled again half-heartedly. And then, it came down...

"NO!!!" Riku shouted, reaching forward, but suddenly stopped then the man's sword sliced into the concrete, Jeria gone. He looked over to the other side as the man turned back around, ignoring him completely. And there Cloud stood, setting Jeria on her feet as she stared at him in shock.

He turned, facing Sephiroth as he only spoke in explanation. "I only saved you because there's just one thing I hate more than a Heartless...And I can't let him kill another, not even you."

Sephiroth glared, arming his masamune in his hand, spreading his one wing out from behind his back. Cloud did the same, narrowing his eyes in anger as he began to attack.

"You'll pay for what you did, Sephiroth!" he yelled, charging forward as their weapons clashed in front of Riku.

Sephiroth grinned menacingly, "You mean she's alive? Well, as soon as I'm through here I'll just have to kill the girl...again, and for the last!" He laughed, Cloud swiping down again and sending them both flying off the platform in a mighty battle.

Riku paid no mind to it, running over to Jeria who still stood stunned. He shook her shoulder to get her out of it, Jeria blinking and looking over to him.

"Jeria, come on, while we still have the chance! Use your transporting power!" Riku said, pulling her hand. But she refused, looking with an angry gaze to the man who stood across the arena.

"No..." she replied.

"No? Why not?! This is the perfect time!"

"I doesn't matter! He'll still find us, and our lies will forever be plagued with it until he finally finds us again. Besides, I must seek revenge."

"What?" Riku asked, wondering what she meant.

"Riku..." she said, her eyes turning sad, looking over to Riku. "He killed Vincent..."

"No...He did?! How?!"

"He took his heart...and he sent him into darkness...Riku, he killed him. He killed him!" She clenched her hands, bleeding as he nails pierced into them in a rage, her eyes forming into black, including the whiteness in her eyes. "Vincent was like a father to me. And as with blood shed from people I care for, shall come the worst punishment. It may not destroy him for good, but it'll keep him here until we can figure out what we can do." She looked to Riku, standing back by the freakish, horrific gaze she gave. "Stay here momentarily. As soon as I defeat him and give Cloud a ways back to Traverse Town, we'll go. I promise." With that, she skidded off her feet, speeding across the waters and straight in the path of the figure...Ansem.

Shockingly, she suddenly dove her hand into his chest, ripping it back out and holding a ghostly white essence in his hand. He seemed to gasp for breath, falling to his knees and his body slowly began to deteriorate, Jeria giving no pity to him.

"You soul, is it? Not much to it, if you ask me. But oh well," she said, stepping back as he tried to reach for her leg in mercy. She smirked evilly, shrugging. "Without it, your real body will die, and it'll wander for as long as it need be until you find another like yourself." She snapped her fingers, the essence dispersing into nothing, and Ansem's cold, lifeless body turning to dust. She turned a cold shoulder, walking away. "Goodbye, Ansem..."

Cloud swiped once more onto Sephiroth, scraping across his wing and making him stumble. His anger grew, Sephiroth raging forward as Cloud gritted his teeth having enough. He gripped his hand around the handle, his anger rising as Sephiroth came near. And then, he attacked as he should have done a long time ago...with Omnislash.

This sent Cloud Buster Sword to slice at him severely, one last strike being placed through Sephiroth's abdomen. Cloud had a look of discussed, but at the same time a look of satisfaction as Sephiroth fell to his knees. Before he could even power down from the attack, though, his shoulder was grabbed being turned around. He jumped back when he saw Jeria's eyes, beginning to fade back into their regular color. She reached forward, placing something on his forehead and it sticking to it.

"Say Traverse Town," she ordered.

"...Traverse Town...?"

With that, he vanished, the area growing quiet. Jeria looked back over to Riku, running over and suddenly grabbing his hand, beginning to run. The surroundings disappeared, leading to blackness. She looked back to him, still running, and continued.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked.

"To find Sora and Kairi! We can't defeat the Heartless without them!"

"Both? Or one?"

"Whatever's convenient!" he grinned.

She stopped, just staring. She blinked, narrowing her eyes. "One quick question. Besides for Ansem finding you and bringing you here, why did you come into this space? No one can come near the Heartless without a motive, and yours was...? To kill him?"

He shook his head. "No. To find you."

"Why?" she asked simply.

"Because...why else? I've grown..." he hesitated, nervous in a bit that he was saying this now, "to like you. A lot. So I came to rescue you..." She just stared still with question, Riku shrugging. "W-what? Is that so wrong or something? What?"

She came forward, reaching up her hand and putting it onto the back of his head, the other wrapped around his shoulder. She put her mouth close to his ear, just to whisper.

"Thanks then...I'll always remember that..." She pulled away, tears welling in her eyes. He looked at her with question soon realizing what she was doing. "Say Destiny Island, Riku..."

"What? Where are you going?" he asked.

"Back where I belong," she said, sighing and turning away. "Back into oblivion."

Riku's eyes widened. "Why?!"

"Because...It is better this way. I'm only an asset to you, a pawn that can be used to trap you into something worse. If I'm gone, then there won't be a problem, will there? Now," she said, "say Destiny Island."

Riku paused, not believing that this was it. This was the last time he'd ever see her. After all they've been through, she was just going to send herself into darkness. Maybe she had known all along that it was just a lost cause, but wanted to help him find his real friends, where a time-lapse was needed to succeed this. Somehow he knew this was the answer, but didn't want to believe. He didn't want to believe that she had to die. And if he had any way, to the way he felt inside, it would never happen. Not while he was alive and breathing.

He walked forward quietly, shockingly wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He put his mouth close to her ear this time, but saying something completely different.

"I can't let you die. I like you too much, Jeria. You were my friend throughout this whole thing when no one else would believe me, and for that...my heart belongs to you."

"Riku...Whatever I ever had for a heart...shall always be yours," she replied softly, shutting her eyes.

"Then you'll come with me...? To find Kairi and Sora?" he asked.

She nodded. "As I remember my promise."

He shut his eyes, lifting his head as he said loudly, "Destiny Island!"

With that, they both vanished from this place, the darkness left to its cold, icy state.

Standing there, she looked out the window, running out to see for a closer look. Her long red hair blew in the ocean breeze, her brown dress doing the same. She put her hands behind her back, interested by what it was falling from the sky. It was like a small meteor, blue and sailing silently towards the ocean. She turned back to the house, hearing her name.

"Hey, Kairi, what is that?"

"Sora, get out here! You gotta come see this!" she yelled, soon looking back to the object continuing to fall...

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A/N Ta-Da! The end of the last chapter! Thank ever so much for reading and please review on your way out!