Part Eight

Her eyes opened with a sudden flood of light, her vision blinded and mostly blurred by it. She sat up from where she laid on her side, holding out her hands to get balance and stand up. Wandering in the luminosity, she bumped into many things until she stopped, hearing a familiar voice.

"Can't see much in the daylight, can you?" the deep voice spoke, Ray turning to its direction.

"You...I know you from somewhere..." she said, beginning to stumble towards it.

"Funny. I didn't think Heartless had memories," he stated, a chain sound beginning to echo throughout this place as he paced.

"You're the one that was sold...The one that didn't quite have a distasteful heart."

"Yeah, but I suppose its better than being locked away in this place for years on end."

"This place...Do you mean..."

"Yeah. I guess you could say you're home."

"Home. What is home?"

He paused, confused by her statement. He wasn't quite sure if she really didn't know what her home was or if she was referring to something else. Finally, he just answered in the simplest way he could.

"It was named Hallow Bastion by its previous owner. I'm not sure what it was called before, but this was my original home as well. That is, before..."

She stumbled again, but finally made out a dark figure standing there. He was surprised that she made it over, but she continued to search out her hands, putting them on the sides of his blotted-out face. Ray just smiled halfheartedly, her hazel eyes seeming to glow of a certain knowledge.

"Do you still linger on the past, Cloud?"

"My name...How could you possibly know it?!" he demanded, stepping back in shock.

"It's the same reason why I can remember things...and why I didn't just go through you and take your heart just then. I remember things, as I remember your hatred for him."

"You're talking about Sephiroth?"

She nodded. "You accused him for his destruction, and for that I do not blame you. But as you have suffered, don't you think he's suffered too?" He just stared, questioning what she was getting at. "You are like brother's in some perspective. He tried to fight for a purpose, but a wrong one at that. And with it, has suffered tremendously for his crime." She grinned menacingly. "I made sure of it."

Cloud's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"All those times he was experimented on, all those days when endless pain came as Ansem implanted that wing, I remember speaking with you. I remember you talking about your dearly beloved Aeris and oh, how you missed her. It was so heartbreaking to learn that she only tried to save the planet, and yet paid with her life. How terrible it must've been too lose someone you care about...Yet I could relate with the death of my parents. Well, not death, but turned into Heartless and seemed dead. For this I despised it, I hated caring for that man when Ansem ordered me to protect him from the other Heartless. Many year I wanted to feed him to them, considering how starving they were. It didn't matter what Ansem would think, but only that he would be gone from causing anyone else any pain! But...I saw it...I saw that there was once a light, that there was good in him at one point. That's why I wanted to help him, to become what he once was again. I think he has changed, and I cannot see why you would still want to fight him."

"Isn't it obvious?" he spat, ignoring mostly everything she had said. "He's the reason this planet is nothing but a lifeless, floating orb in the sky! I do hope you know what the Rising Falls are. It's where Meteor hit! Where Aeris's death was for nothing!"

"But she's not dead anymore, right?" she proclaimed.

"Does it matter? He still caused so much pain that revenge must be sought!"

She did not answer, but only hung her head, sighing. He just couldn't see that he, too, had the same problem that Sephiroth once had. As he was about to say something more, a bang came from behind, the doors swinging open. A woman's voice came, sounding urgent.

"Cloud! He's here!"

"What? That's impossible! How could he get here that fast?!"

"Well it's kind of simple when you give the location away in saying 'the last place we fought'." she sneered, Cloud scoffing and quickly walking past.

He entered into the main hall, telling Aeris to go and hide. She hesitated, but told him to be careful as she left. Marching into the Castle Chapel, past the Lift Shop, and into the Grand Hall, he witnessed once more the room where the Princesses of Heart had once been held. The room was still plagued in darkness, six symmetrical cylinders of blue flame still burning from where they had been a long time ago. The sealed Keyhole was still portrayed at the top of a large staircase, where the electrical pipes remained loose and remained high up above. This is where he would wait.

And it didn't take long for his adversary to arrive.

Cloud stood there, glaring at his enemy as he gazed back, both their eyes cold and emotionless. In long moments, there was nothing but silence, each waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, Sephiroth was the one who spoke.

"Where's the girl, Strife?" he questioned angrily.

"What? You mean the Heartless? Can't keep your heart steady without a new supply can you?" He grinned. "Maybe I should just let you live. Then your heart will collapse and you'll turn into a small, insignificant Heartless."

"Answer my question!" he shouted, sending it echoing through the area.

Cloud paused for a moment, looking like he was contemplating, then suddenly said, "How about no?" He came forward with an immense attack a split second later, catching Sephiroth by surprise and sending him back. Cloud only had to use his wing to fly behind and jab him a good one in the back, causing Sephiroth's spine to crack. As he felt himself fall to the ground, only then did he realize how ruthless Cloud had become.

Ray managed to find her way through the blinding light halls. She spotted a room that was dark at the other end of the hall she had wandered into, her eyes finally beginning to take focus. When they did, she saw herself looking out into a hall, standing on the steps as a battle took place. In one moment she knew that Sephiroth had no chance, and in the other Cloud had become just as much as a ruthless, merciless tormenter as Sephiroth had ever been. Neither deserved this, and she had to do something. But she was so weak, her heart beginning to ache even worse as the minutes went on. She was afraid the darkness was starting to take its toll. This was one thing she didn't tell him, finding it of no relevance, but if the darkness must go somewhere, it would go nowhere else but where it had been stored. Thus the darkness from before did not leave her, but only was suspended by the hearts her family was giving her. Eventually she would turn into Heartless, but not before she would do something now.

As Sephiroth was knocked into a dark corner, Cloud began to walk forward, wanting it to be the final blow. But it wouldn't be, for yet again did Sephiroth stand. Somehow he seemed more willing to give up, but knowing Sephiroth, this must've been a trick of some sort.

"Alright, I give up...You win..." Sephiroth stated, wiping the blood from his lip.

"...I don't believe you," Cloud said smartly.

"You don't? That's a real shame," he answered. He spread out his hands to his sides, seeming like he would call upon an attack, but did no such thing. "Hit me."

"What?"

"Go ahead, I give you a free shot, considering your weakness. Go ahead and kill me if you so see fit. But before I may disappear from this world I must ask you one simple question. How does it feel?"

"What are you talking about?!" he yelled.

"You know what I said, now answer the question!" he shouted back.

"I don't understand the relevance-"

"Does it matter?! If it surely doesn't then kill me, here and now! Seek your revenge and let us all rest in peace, Strife!"

Cloud became frustrated, not understanding what he meant but that thin line keeping him thinking broke, sending him charging forward and at Sephiroth. He stopped, however, when he heard her voice from the side.

"Cloud, stop! What are doing?! I thought you said you weren't going to-" Aeris stopped when Cloud looked over his shoulder, giving the indication that anything he had said before was now void. Looking back, he saw Sephiroth was still standing there, taking no second thoughts before he lunged the Buster Sword straight into him.

"How does it feel, Cloud?" Cloud. Cloud. That one name told him something was wrong with this, knowing that Sephiroth would never use only his first name. Suddenly, the skin began to melt from what appeared to be Sephiroth at first, but became someone completely different. It was the Heartless named Ray, continuing in a choked voice as blood began to drip down the side of her mouth. "How does it feel...to be blinded by hate?" In this she slumped to the floor, Cloud pulled the sword from her. Seeing a figure standing there, they both turned their heads to find it was Sephiroth, still alive and staring down at the coughing Ray, becoming the way she looked.

Cold, lifeless, dead.

Cloud stood there, his eyes wide in shock. "What have I done...?"

"You have become...what Sephiroth once was...You...You were blinded by your hate...and with it...destroyed things that did not need to be..." Ray spoke, slowly and in more of a hiss than anything else. "I guess...your even now...right...? No more...hurt...?"

Cloud nodded, trying to be sympathetic. Aeris came over to him, pulling on his arm with a sad look in her eyes. Cloud apologized over and over, and yet it still didn't seem like it was enough. He left with Aeris that day, and never again was to be seen in revenge of anything.

Sephiroth walked over, disbelief striking him. She chuckled, shaking her head as she sat up slowly. "I do not want you to pity me Sephiroth. I did this on my own account."

"I don't question that. The thing I don't understand is...why? Why would you give your life?"

"I wanted to save you. Cloud and you both. If Cloud remained the way he was he would be bound to become like you were, filled with hatred even after your defeat. If you died, then what was the use of giving my heart only to become a Heartless?"

"What? What are you saying? That even if you had lived you would've become a Heartless?!"

She nodded. "Eventually I would have been Heartless, whether or not if I had given my heart or not. I will still become one, even now. So I guess it was best to at least save one poor soul. Which reminds me." She began to sink into the floor, continuing. "Meet me at the edge of the Rising Falls. I want to give you something." With this she disappeared, Sephiroth striding out to where he was to meet her.

In a matter of minutes he was there, but she was already waiting for him. The Falls echoed in a thunderous boom, but she managed to stand at the entrance gates with a lift leading up to the castle. She faced the quickly moving current as he flew next to her, holding something in her hands. When he landed, he didn't even get a word in before she shoved the last of her heart into his chest, ripping out the darkness and placing it within her. It took her a moment to recuperate, but shrugged it off when she spoke.

"There, that should do it. Your black heart should be about gone by now, either that or the majority of the heart will consume it."

"Where will you go?" he asked.

"I don't know. Probably become a Heartless and spend my emotionless days here. Why, what do you care?" she said coldly.

"I was only wondering."

There was a long moment of silence between them, the blood from her wound now beginning to drip onto the ground.

"Say Sephiroth?" she said, getting his attention. "You mind if I come by once in a while? Though I probably won't remember much, I might be able to remember you."

"Yeah, alright. At least you won't be annoying company like my servants mostly are. I'll keep that in mind the next time I see a Heartless in my quarters."

"And Sephiroth?"

"Yes?"

"Where do you go? When you die, I mean?"

"Supposedly a place called Lifestream, merging back with the planet whence you came."

"Is it nice there?"

"I suppose so, of course I've never been there myself."

She smiled fully for the first, and the last, time in her life. "Maybe I'll go there some day."

"One can only hope..."

Ray turned towards him, waved, and then began to run. Sephiroth was surprised by this, but did not stop her. Instead, Ray jumped off, spreading her arms out as the light in her heart flickered and faded, her being doing the same. She didn't even hit the water before she disappeared, fading into darkness as her family had done before her...

***

Sitting there in his quiet room, a swift breeze flew through the window, making the papers he had been writing flying across the room. He cursed under his breath, knowing that he would have to rearrange them once again from the scatter they now were in on the floor. He didn't bother to go and pick them up, for if he did they'd just go flying away again. Staring out the window, he witnessed the sun going down from the sandstone walls of the Coliseum. He pulled back from the desk, standing and walking over to the bed. Kicking off his boots, he lied down, sighing a deep breath while looking at the ceiling. In the fading light, shadows began to creep upon the walls, but he was not afraid. Instead, he welcomed them, knowing they would not harm him. They knew of his past, respected it, and gave him his peace when he needed it.

One brave shadow emerged from the floor, staring up at him with glowing yellow eyes. Just by its presence Sephiroth knew who it was, smiling and tapping it on the head. It squeaked like it was a laugh, hopping up and down shortly.

"Hello Ray. How's life been?" The Heartless, like all others, did not answer, but probably would have if it could. Putting his hands behind his head, he yawned, shutting his eyes. The Heartless squeaked a laugh again, taking its stubbly little arm and waving slightly. This was the only goodnight they ever gave, but it was enough for him. Just like a brother they were friends with him, and they always would be until the day he, too, perished from the worlds. But until that day, they would always try to say for him to get some sleep, (for that was the reason why they came by), and that tomorrow might be good...

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A/N yes, that's the last chapter. Ser, it's got somewhat of a medium ending! Don't complain, tho, because no one cared to review except belldandy, (and only they have the right to nag!...But even then please don't be too mean ^_^') If you want me to write an alternate ending then I will, but besides that I hoped you at least liked it somewhat and please review!