Chapter Eight: Farewell

That morning finally came.

The sunrise was beautiful, a touch of pink and light reds gracing the sky and mixing with one another. Yet, it also reflected a sorrow Riku had for the tranquility was quiet with no birds. He stood in the middle of the coliseum just looking things over. The stones that created the intricately made arena, the packed sand, the clear sky.

"Actually here before me."

Riku gasped and quickly turned to the voice -- Sephiroth. The One-Winged Angel leaned his silver plated shoulder unto one of the high stone columns with arms folded over his chest hiding the visibility of it his wing folded inward and giving him a cushion from the hard pillar. Riku stayed where he was and placed his hands on his hips just nodding.

"...Where is Aerith taking you?" Sephiroth asked, just in a conversational tone.

"Traverse Town...Ever hear of it?" Riku replied back in the same kind of voice.

"Indeed, a tranquil place."

"Sephiroth..." Riku trailed off his cobalt blue eyes lowering down from the dawn sky and to Sephiroth's blank and emotionless face which animated questioning at the moment. "I want to--"

"Riku!" Yuffie called from the arena's exit, waving her hand around in the air. "Riku, c'mon, Aerith and Leon are waiting!" She called again this time lowering her arm and cocking her head back to hurry up. Riku turned to Yuffie and made the gesture to hang on, then, turned back to Sephiroth walking up to him.

Sephiroth looked down at the boy, pushing off the pillar and fully standing his six foot height, those gloved hands still folded over his chest in his bitter way.

But Sephiroth didn't expect the next thing to happen.

He stumbled backwards and gawked his arms pushed out of their folding and forward in a gesture of not knowing what to do. His cold stare turned into a embarrassed and baffled one as his eyes' gaze frantically looked around then back down to Riku who had clung himself around Sephiroth -- A hug, in a simpler term. Sephiroth's hands stayed like that not knowing if to hug back or push him away, but, Riku hugged for a long time then finally let go.

"I want to thank you for the book." Riku faintly smiled and nodded. Sephiroth stood there and regained his composure, then, finally through reluctance ruffled the boy's same silvery hair.

"Go already." Sephiroth said, but to Riku it didn't sound bitter and full of venom but just a poke fun comment -- Finally, had Sephiroth lightened up? Well, Riku would never know now and just snickered then turned back to Yuffie who had a giant grin plastered unto her face. Riku then ran up to Yuffie as the ninja disappeared into the exit of the arena. Riku gave one last glance to Sephiroth who looked on and gave one nod, Riku returned it then he too walked out of the arena.

"Aww, that was really nice of you -- For a change."

Sephiroth's right eye slightly twitched and so did the pinions of his wings, turning slowly to the voice he saw Hercules with a big grin on his face as well, then, the invincible warrior laughed at Sephiroth. "So, that means you're gonna be more nice now? Heh, Phil was right." Hercules pushed it there and Sephiroth came stalking up, brushing by, then swiped his leg across Hercules's ankles making the blonde trip and fall.

"HEY!"

"Your ignorance is annoying, Hercules." Sephiroth bitterly spat back while walking up the stairs.

He was back to his normal self.

Yuffie and Riku came walking up to the Gummi Ship within the grassy fields that surround Olympus Coliseum. The wind was stronger on the plains making the tall grass look like a ocean of green. Riku smiled upon the scenery then Yuffie lightly shook his shoulder.

"C'mon! We're boarding!" She then ran up the ramp into the Gummi Ship's interior, Riku watched then turned back to the giant stone building whispering something...

"Bye...Father." Then, turning back to the Gummi Ship Riku boarded, too, and soon after he did the ramp came to a clamping close with a metal echo. Leon was commanding at the cockpit and turning switches and knobs upon the dash board in front of him. Yuffie sat next to him just looking out the windows. Aerith sat in the back with Riku.

"Could we visit?" Riku asked then was jerked forward by the Gummi Ship's thrusters only to regain his seating as the ship then rose slowly into the air and blasted away from the green fields and coliseum. Aerith bit her lower lip, but, Leon spoke up for her.

"We have to uphold the World Order."

"World Order...?" Riku echoed back. Yuffie nodded; "Yep, we can't just visit other worlds, it's part of the World Order law."

"But--" Riku was cut off.

"No buts." It was Leon who steadily maneuvered the ship through the dark blue and green entity of space.

Aerith then whispered to Riku. "Don't worry, Yuffie and I can convince Leon to come back." She nodded afterwards with a smile then handed back Riku's book that she held on for him. Riku took it back and sighed opening it to the first page. Aerith watched for a moment, then, turned her gaze to the windows before her that were also halfway hidden from Leon and Yuffie's seats.

"You'll really like Traverse Town, Riku," Yuffie began. "I can teach ya' some things that only a ninja knows -- Squall could teach you how to dance!" Yuffie started to laugh uncontrollably as Leon rolled his eyes.

"That's Leon and I'm not teaching hi --"

"--Anyway, Aerith is a really good cook, too!" Yuffie stopped Leon. Aerith kept smiling, Riku glanced up from the book and started to laugh too.

"You know how to dance, Leon? Jeez, kinda weird for a guy like you."

"Yuffie...Why did you have to say it?" Leon started to blush. Yuffie giggled.

"Aww, you're blushing! C'mon, we all know you are a great dancer!"

"Yuffie...!" Leon did his threatening tone, something a parent might do to a child. Yuffie then piped down.

Riku only shook his head and looked back down to the page beginning where he left off which were the first set of words. Aerith leaned back in her seat then tapped Riku lightly on the shoulder, he looked back up and followed her finger to the window.

Before them a planet was coming up, lighted up with artificial light. Riku blinked and gently closed his book making his eyes squint to get a better look.

"That's Traverse Town, it isn't very far from Olympus Coliseum." Aerith told him in her low and soft tone. Riku was astonished.

That was his new life that Sephiroth preached about. His new, normal, life.

Normal...

Riku sighed and lowered his head those tresses of silver getting in his eyes. Aerith noticed and turned her head from the planet that was getting bigger and to her son.

"Riku? Are you all right?"

"Yeah...Just a little homesick." He muttered.

Aerith frowned then smirked. "I bet he misses you. No matter how cold he is, he must realize that he's a father. I just know he misses you."

Riku shrugged and looked back up, Leon was lowering the Gummi Ship into a Gummi Ship garage just outside the doors to Traverse Town.

"I think so, too."

Sephiroth studied his room.

It wasn't the same.

It was less...Lively.

He sighed and fully walked inside his dwelling just shaking his head to himself. "Sephiroth, he is gone and you have your privacy back. No more lecturing, no more questions. Just your life." He told himself then stopped short to glance at Riku's little bed that Riku had made.

"You're not a father -- Just a warrior." Sephiroth muttered, then, crouched down to the bed sheet. Standing back up he piled the bed sheet unto his own bed and started to pace back and forth again. "Then again technically you are a father, therefore should have this awkward feeling -- Wait, no! Grr..." Sephiroth clenched and unclenched his skintight gloved hands, then, forcefully sat at the end of his bed.

"Just admit it." Cloud leaned on the doorway, slightly amused at Sephiroth talking to himself. Sephiroth looked up with a glare.

"Go away, Strife."

"Just answer this one question for me...Do you care for him?"

"No." Sephiroth retorted.

"Don't lie." Cloud snapped back.

Sephiroth gave out a small laugh from hysteria. "Since when did you care if I cared?"

"Now."

"Okay," Sephiroth scoffed. "Yes, I do care for Riku. He is my son."

"Say it like you mean it." Cloud sounded annoyed, Sephiroth winced and sighed.

"Yeah...I do. All this time I was just trying to make him stronger, and trying to take care of him. After time...I didn't really want to throw him out and wanted him to stay." Sephiroth blinked, then glared at Cloud. "Are you happy now, Strife?"

Cloud smirked and nodded nudging off the doorway. "New tournament is coming up..." Cloud had a glint in his glowing eyes. "I'll make sure I get revenge on what you did to me yesterday."

"You're on, Strife." Sephiroth sneered in his cocky manner.

-----------------------------------------------The End.

A/N- Well, there you go: Fatherly Figure. I really hope you like the ending since I'm not really good at them, since, a writer just wants to go on and on, but we have to stop somewhere. Well, a huge, big, massive THANKS! to all of the readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you, so much for reading this! Really glad you liked it.

Lo and behold you have not heard the last of me in the Kingdom Hearts section of ff.net! I've been working on a fanfiction called "Welcome Back" for some time now and will post it up very soon (it's about Leon, Yuffie, Sephiroth, Cloud, Aerith, and Cid).

Later for now, readers!