When he awoke, he was in someone's arms. Maybe he was dreaming he had woken up. He didn't want to move.

Drowsily, he roused himself and managed to open his eyes halfway. There sat a man he didn't recognize nor know, yet he felt too content to care. Silver hair graced this man's shoulders and fell to his waist, while glowing turquoise green eyes that reminded him distinctly of his own gazed intently down at him. He was clad in all black. Something soft and fluttering touched his face, and his eyes focused on that. He reached up a hand, and his fingers brushed against feathers, feathers as soft as silk that flowed like water. The wing trembled at instinct, probably from the way he had touched it.

"So your awake." The man sat him up, and he was leaning rather directly against the man's leg.

"Who are you?" Were the first words that flew out of his mouth. He supposed he should have said 'Thank you', but his lips couldn't seem to form those words right now.

The man smiled wryly.

"I am Sephiroth." He stared at Riku as if to expect a reaction, yet there was none. Riku only looked back at him, puzzled. "I know who you are."

"You do...?"Riku gazed at him in interest. "How?"

"How, I don't know." Sephiroth looked back at him with an unnatural calm and collected nature that unnerved him. Riku abruptly looked away. "I don't know how I know you; I found you collapsed with Heartless gathered around your body."

"Like buzzards..."

This statement quieted the man. Riku awkwardly tried to stand. Sephiroth stood, taking him by the elbow and pulling him up, his wing flexing slightly behind him, as if to shake off something unperceivable. Riku took another step forward, then managed to pull himself up straight, using Sephiroth to help him. Gods, he felt so weak. Sephiroth seemed to sense his inner shame, though didn't sat anything, he only helped silently, Riku staggering as he winced. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, as if he had been drinking something he had forsaken when he had met his adopted father.

Flashback

"GET OVER HERE, WOMAN!!!"

"Please, James, stop this, plea-"

The harsh sound of a palm meeting flesh echoed through the house as the child sat behind the couch, whimpering as the footsteps drew closer to his hiding place. He held his breath, being silent, but it didn't work. The couch was wrenched away from the corner and he was exposed to a drunk with a crazed look in his eyes.

"Thought you could get away from me, eh, did you, you little brat?" James reached down, grabbing him by the hair as he screamed at the child. "I get your number; first you come into my home and complain about the good clothes we put on your worthless back-"

"Stop it, James! Your drunk!" His adoptive mother tried to pull Riku out of his grasp. Riku only began to cry as James dropped him, going after the one who had taken care of him, grabbing her by the throat and throwing her against the wall.

"SHUT UP, WOMAN!" James hollered, then turned back to Riku, that ever so insane look in his eyes. His adoptive mother crumpled to the ground, bleeding. James took a step toward him, pulling off his belt. "Now I'll kill you, you little freak-"

End Flashback

Sephiroth stared at the boy as he managed to shake his head, clearing the vision that had just shot through his consciousness. The boy had nearly been beaten to death by the one called 'James', his mother had died the same day, right in front of his eyes. Riku muttered something incoherently. Sephiroth rested a hand on his back, urging him forward. Why?

Why was it that he, Sephiroth, had the task of trying to help a troubled youth?

Was this his penance?

He had slaughtered thousands of people, had felt the blood that poured over his hands, had laughed at Cloud Strife when he didn't have the strength to do a thing. This should be his penance. He should have died a long time ago, but did death really clear you of your sins? No. It didn't. He was now stuck with an inexperienced child that was wounded, weak, and without a weapon, needing assistance. Riku... The name meant 'land'; did this have some sort of connection? A connection to the one who had freed him from the boundaries of the Coliseum?

He'd have to figure this out later.

For now, Riku needed his help.

Steadying him, Sephiroth pulled the boy's arm around his neck. It was amazing how short he was compared to him. He chuckled at the thought, and began to walk. Riku stumbled from time to time, but either way, he was fine. The boy was strong. He hadn't doubted that when he had first seen him lying helplessly on the ground, by the stress marks all over his arms, and the multiple wounds.

"Where are we going?" Riku asked wearily, and Sephiroth looked down at him. His head was bent low, as if he had given up all hope of ever getting out of these Heartless pits.

"To a place that you'll recognize. You need rest, and medication." He turned his head back to the road not taken yet by them.

"Why are you helping me? Why can't you just let me die?" The boy mumbled.

"I cannot. I've let too many die."

Riku fell silent, and he took this as an opportunity to get some mileage down. On and on and on this road was going, with no end in sight, and even he was starting to get weary of this. Lights in the distance told him not to stop. Where did they lead to?

Traverse Town.

The place where all who had lost their worlds gathered. Both he and Riku had lost their worlds.

And now he was going to fix everything.

"Thank you..."

Oooooo! I'm so excited even I want to read the next chapter! What's going to happen?! I WANNA KNOW!!! Err…wait, I already know what's going to happen next. Reviews, review, and read, and anxiously look for the new chapters. If you don't, then I guess I'll have to force you to… Uh, empty threat! realizes she just threw an empty threat at a potential reviewer Um…I'll…force you to eat…candy! YEAH!!!

Riku: What's going to happen next? You can tell me….

Sephiroth: Your not the only one who wants to know…

Nikoru: Err…something SPECIAL!

Riku: Your such a liar, Nikoru.

Nikoru: sigh I know…it's a tough job.