A/N- To Zanisha's newest review: I agree. Riku does seem a little OOC. Oops. Xx; As a sorry...Here's another chapter! xD

Chapter Three: Mirror Reflections

Riku worked as Sephiroth's "squire". Usually the main chore Sephiroth made Riku do was clean Masamune -- After a long argument with Riku on how he didn't like Masamune being touched by someone else.

It was like that everyday, literally. The two agreed on little and usually fought with each other in the result Riku being put down by Sephiroth's harsh words. However, Riku soon ignored these comments by Sephiroth and started to gain actual friends, mostly Hercules. Hercules felt sorry for Riku (both because he had to live with Sephiroth and lost his home) and actually trained Riku into a better fighter.

"Good, Riku! Now attack me from a side." Hercules grinned at the boy's progression through the various attack-moves. Riku clenched unto that wooden sword and nodded, then, swiftly charged to Hercules's right side. But, Hercules then tackled Riku to the ground. Riku sat up and blinked, then stood back up and tried again. He was filled with determination and Hercules was glad about that.

Mako irises watched intently from above, under the security of the shade. Sephiroth stood in one of the doorways to the benches below. His arms folded as well as his wing. One armored shoulder leaned up against the stone as one ankle was settled on the other side of the other ankle. Those eyes watched Riku's every move, to his footing, to his swings.

"Why?"

Sephiroth didn't turn to the voice for he knew who it belonged to: Cloud. The blonde headed kid walked up behind Sephiroth and Sephiroth could feel his sorrowful gaze upon him. Cloud then stepped closer, right next to Sephiroth. It was an awkward scene: Two mortal-rivals standing next to each other like good friends whom haven't talked for years.

"What do you mean 'why'?" Sephiroth asked, still watching Riku and Hercules. Cloud folded his arms over his chest, that spiky-haired head nodded to the teenager boy which resembled Sephiroth.

"You let him into your world. Why?"

"Obvious. No one else would take in the brat." Cloud blinked at this reply, and said nothing. Passed that mask of red cloth Sephiroth could have sworn he saw a smirk, or something near it. Turning back to the fight Sephiroth shook his high bangs out of his eyes. "Why do you even care, Strife?" At first it looked like Cloud wasn't going to answer, but after that silent spell he did.

"...Just because. You're getting soft."

Sephiroth had to stifle back his roar of a laugh. "Me? Soft? You're just blind. Be off with you, I need some time to think." Sephiroth's gloved hand made a gesture for Cloud to go away. The Buster Sword wielder just shrugged and turned back the way he came. Cold eyes then dropped their view from watching Riku and downward to the ground.

"Hey, Father! Watch this!" The nine year old silver haired boy waved frantically to his father, then, did a twirl upon one heel with his wooden sword following the same movement. Once turned back to his father with a grin to each ear there was nothing. No clapping. No coaxing. Just two dark eyes glaring behind simple glasses.

"This concludes to what?" The older man asked.

"...That I'm getting better?" The boy asked, not really sure himself.

"Pathetic. Fighting won't get you everywhere, Sephiroth. To be a great man you must also have knowledge. Now put that...Thing away and read up on your history!" The man within the white scientific trench coat then swiftly came up and grabbed at the wooden sword. Little Sephiroth couldn't really comprehend the lecture and just stood there, looking sadly up to his father.

"But I want to train some more!" He whined.

"Are you defying my command?" Hojo asked, his rage about to burst.

"N-No...I just...I mean..."

"Good, now be off with you." Hojo shooed Sephiroth away from his work desk and office slamming the door behind the boy. Sephiroth stared blankly at the dark wood door, trying to hold back his tears.

Don't cry...Father will get mad...

The reminisce faded away from Sephiroth's head. His gaze came back to the battle arena where Riku smiled and was having fun while training. Sephiroth lost his composure while remembering and now had one flat palm against the wall he was leaning on with his back slumped. Quickly he regained his tall height and shook his head, walking away back into the shadows.

"It's all...Just a forgotten past." He reassured himself, but, his hands still trembled.

Riku skidded to a stop and panted, his sword dropped down from it's defensive position. Hercules placed his hands to his sides and gave a warm smile.

"You did great today, Riku!"

"Yeah, maybe you should sign up for the games." Phil remarked from a bench, it was a cross-between being serious and being sarcastic. Hercules nodded in agreement, though, since he isn't the brightest fighter out there. Riku turned to Phil and finally could breath easily now.

"Do you mean it?" Riku asked, hope growing in his heart. Phil hopped off from the bench and trotted up to Riku.

"Sure, why not? Gotta be careful though, kid, some real hard fighters are in it, too."

"Sephiroth?" Riku retorted some note of worry in his voice. Phil only nodded then started back off for the lobby.

"Not many make it up to fight Seph, so dun' worry about it." Riku wasn't entirely worried, but still had butterflies in his stomach. This was his chance to really show Sephiroth and hoped it would work out.

"Well, the tournament is in four days. Better get back to training!" Hercules broke the silence and Riku's thinking. The teenager turned back to Hercules, then, twirled around his wooden sword and nodded.

"Right!" Like that, Riku rushed at Hercules.

"You...Are a moron, Phil." Sephiroth rubbed his temples and sat on the heavy pedestal within the lobby. Phil laughed.

"Why's that? You gettin' worried for the boy?"

"No. Do you know who will have to take care of his wounds if he should loose?" Sephiroth groaned still rubbing his head ache away.

"Lemme guess..." Phil trailed off.

"Me! This is my punishment, isn't it? For threatening to rip out your annoying vocal cords." Sephiroth looked up and settled his arms unto his thighs. Phil just chuckled and placed the last letter unto the plague which now read "WELCOME FIGHTERS". "I should just rip them out now." Sephiroth mumbled out then stood up walking back to the battle arena, but, Phil stopped him.

"Y'know what? It's kinda strange that he resembles you. You sure he ain't your long lost relative or something?"

"He isn't, that's for sure. I have no family." Another bitter comment spat out as Sephiroth then left Phil alone rather vexed that Phil, of all people who know better, tried to bring up his history.

Another dusk evening with humid air. The coliseum was deserted once again, only brand new poles were set up. Sephiroth zigzagged his way through them looking around his surroundings. In four days people will be crowded unto the stone bleachers as they watched every move the fighters would make. Sunshine raining down from the roofless coliseum would warm up the day so people would have to bring fans. The packed sand crunched underneath his thick boots every time Sephiroth swiftly made a step.

He walked through the giant mouth at the other end of the battle arena and up spiraling stairs to his cell. He left Masamune back at his quarter along with Riku. Those mako-induced eyes would glow in the midst of the darkness, filled with sorrow of the past that has been now drowning his thought of the up coming tournament. It also drowned his pride making him feel helpless in this giant world, however, Sephiroth would never show this side of him.

Do you really want people to know all your emotions? If so, that's presenting yourself to be weak. You don't want to be weak, or I'll disown you as a son.

Sephiroth lowered his head and walked slowly down the torched-lit corridor passing by door ways with warriors either eating or resting. Coming upon his own cell and entering he stopped right at the doorway and blinked.

Riku was reading a forest green book and sitting down on his bed sheet.

Sephiroth then fully walked in, pulled back his chair to his desk and sat down turned to Riku. The boy only glanced up at Sephiroth then back down to the book turning a page. Sephiroth was trying to calm down his rage.

That book was Sephiroth's and about his old world.

Riku noticed and cautiously stood up and started to walk towards him. Sephiroth raised a brow when Riku slapped the book shut and handed it back to him, looking ashamed. Sephiroth forcefully snatched the book back and placed it on the desk. Riku recoiled his hand and shuffled back to his bed.

"Sorry..." Riku muttered, but didn't expect the answer Sephiroth gave.

"What did you learn?"

"What?" Riku was struck dumbfounded and baffled, it seemed as if Sephiroth was slightly opening up. Sephiroth repeated the question, in a more annoyed manner. Riku kept back his smirk.

"A lot. Some of it was kind of confusing, though."

"Such as?" Sephiroth quickly asked, Riku could still hear the annoyance in Sephiroth.

"Well...That Jenova Project -- I saw no point in it."

Sephiroth was silent, then, stood up and got out his sleeping clothes from the hangers near the door way. "You're being narrow-minded, that's why." Sephiroth commented then sat down on his bed. Riku frowned.

"Only because I see no point in it? I'm just saying my opinion!"

"Your opinion? Hah! Boy, The Jenova Project is too complex that one book alone can't describe it. Don't even try to argue about it."

Now-a-days Riku knew better not to argue, another small tidbit of information Riku had learned from this mysterious Cloud. Since Riku thought of Cloud he had to ask, no matter how frustrated Sephiroth got.

"Whose Cloud?"

"...Nobody. Go to sleep." Sephiroth swiftly glided over to the candle and blew it out softly and returned back to his bed un-dressing and dressing into sleeping clothes in the dark. Riku just sighed out an annoyed sigh and laid back down covering the white bed sheet over him.

"What you are doing is insane. Insane!"

"No, it is simply science. All of it is. It's all for a better purpose and..." Hojo trailed off, a cynical smile tracing his thin lips. "To show whose better."

The twenty or so year old Sephiroth blinked, surprise clearly seen across his face but it quickly faded and turned into disgust.

"Gast will always be the better. I...I can't even believe I'm your son. You must've stole me away and killed him! That's the only logical reason."

Hojo then leaned on his desk, claw-like fingers clenching unto the rim. "Oh? You are so oblivious, Sephiroth. Oblivious to my whole plan -- To everything! Do you know your purpose on this world? Do you know why you look nothing like me? Well, I'll tell you," Hojo's evil grin seem to grow. "You, too, are a mere experiment. Of course, you have not failed yet. Gast, myself, and another young scientist all worked together on a project named the Jenova Project. You are simply...The outcome."

Sephiroth shot up into a sitting up stance in his bed, gasping. Mako eyes wide open with fear clouding them. Catching his breath he soon then buried his head into his hands. Silver hair came down from his shoulders.

A/N- To FF7 fans - I know! Sephiroth never knew Hojo was his father...But! This is Kingdom Hearts and him knowing that Hojo is his father just makes it more dramatic. I still can't decide if I want Sephiroth to be from Hollow Bastion or the "FF7 World". Err, to better things -- XDDD! To DemonSurfer. Yeah, I could see them fighting over the pillow, then discussing about shampoo. ;) Lilac all the way for Seph, though.

Reason why I've been updating so quickly -- I'm an insomniac.