I don't own anything except the computer that I wrote this on.

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Shadow Feather: Chapter 6

What Strange Eyes You Have…

(remember the white room)

The Nexus was still as strange a place as before. Time existed but chose not flow in any rational pattern. Thoughts were more tangible but senses were dull. I scanned the area around myself, looking for some sort of a trail to follow. I recalled how Hades had been able to follow strange paths in the nothingness, memories of matter. I found what I was looking for soon enough.

There were slight indentations in the darkness. My eyes couldn't really see them but my mind knew that they were there. When I tried to focus on the indentations, I found that my eyes tried as hard as they could not to. As a result I looked at them through the corner of my eye. What I was looking at, however, was still a mystery to me.

What I had perceived as indentations weren't really indentations at all. They seemed to be memories of an indentation that had just been created. Wherever Maleficent had tread, those places remembered her. Even then, the time flow here was not as simple as to leave it in the past tense. Her footsteps hadn't just happened when she passed through the Nexus; they had always just happened, but never actually taken place.

The notion made my mind reel with the idea that time was actually an uncertain occurrence in this place. Time only happened on occasion; but what was in between? If time only came every so often, how could there be an often? The very word, "often," is simply a generalization of a measurement of time. Wasn't it?

I shook myself clear of all this confusion. I would ponder these things later. Right now, I am in extremely dangerous territory. The thought of following Maleficent came to the forefront of my mind and that thought began to propel me through the nothingness in front of me.

I watched, carefully, out of the corner of my eyes to see my progress. Maleficent's trail became slightly more defined with every indefinable moment in the Nexus. Distance wasn't actually existent but I still felt as if my journey was long. Every so often I heard a giggle, and would turn slightly at the noise. It turned out only to be a small Heartless, looking at me with lust in its eyes.

After a long…time...I stopped moving. I felt an overwhelming sense of rightness in the place I had stopped at. The area was so incredibly correct that I felt myself begin to fade into reality without my conscious consent. I halted myself and then focused on where I knew I would be.

I was in the meeting room of Hollow Bastion. Something inside me told me that it was no longer the same day it had been when I left. It felt like nearly a week since I had left, and somehow that seemed to be perfectly reasonable. I reached my hand out to assure myself that the walls were indeed real. My fingers caressed cold stone.

"Ah, Sephiroth, I was wondering when you would emerge."

I turned with a slight bout of surprise to find Maleficent standing in the doorway. "Maleficent," I acknowledged.

"Hades told me of your…'outburst,' if you will," I placed my hand on the hilt of my blade. Maleficent brought her hand to her mouth and let out a small cackle. "Oh you have no need to worry, I agree with you entirely. Hades needed to be reminded of how much power he really has." She gave a small smirk. "He complained a lot about your 'orders,' but he has followed them to a T. Cloud is being trained in the Coliseum, and no real harm will befall him."

"That is good."

"Indeed," Maleficent gave me a calculating stare for a short time and then continued, "I think it is time that you were told of our plan. Come, there will be a meeting soon and you should know what it is we plan to accomplish sooner than later."

Maleficent strode over to the green glowing table and beckoned me towards it. For a long time she explained to me how they sought the seven Princesses of Heart in order to open Kingdom Hearts and connect all worlds. They sought the powers of Darkness and opposed the one who bears the keyblade. That was the boy from the Coliseum, his name is Sora. Apparently they had already managed to capture several Princesses, the most recent being a girl named Jasmine from a world called Agrabah. Jafar, the man with the turban had been lost in the battle against the keyblade wielder. This was very surprising to me. To think that the weak child could defeat a sorcerer with powers such as his.

Jasmine was being transported to Hollow Bastion by a new pawn in Maleficent's plan. A young boy named Riku. Sora's friend. Maleficent had turned them against each other and is now using Riku as a warrior of her own. When Riku arrived, Hades would join them for a small conference. She advised that I stay in the shadows and watch from there. I agreed that it would be unwise to face Hades so soon.

I walked to the far side of the room and melted into the shadows there. Maleficent smiled benignly and there was a loud poofing noise as Hades appeared.

"Aw jeez! I tell ya, crossing the Nexus really does a number on my joints." He proceeded to snap several joints about his person.

"Indeed."

The door flung open an a young boy burst inside. He looked not to be much older than Sora was. He wore jeans under what appeared to be a loosely attached pair of baggy pants legs. The shirt he wore was yellow without sleeves, and rather skintight. He strode over to the green table where a short moving image of Jafar's death played out before them. He watched it intently. Riku had silver hair that reached down to his shoulders. He was built very much like a boy who favored the sword. He reminded me of myself when I was his age.

"That smarmy vizier could've had 'em if someone had stuck around to give him a hand," Hades shot at Riku.

Riku shrugged lightly, the picture of confidence and aloofness. "Hey, I did my part. I brought the princess didn't I?" He sounded like I did as a child.

"Jafar was beyond help, consumed by his own hatred," she glanced meaningfully in Hades' direction. "One should beware of letting it burn too fiercely."

Hades stepped backwards and held out his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lighten up. I'm as cool as they come, ok?" He turned and said to Riku, "By the way, kid, have we got something special for you."

"Huh?"

Maleficent waved her hand at the green table. It glowed softly. "We had a deal, yes? You helped us, and we grant you your wish…" An image of a girl laying unconscious flickered into view.

"Kairi!"

"Go. Your vessel is waiting."

Riku looked at Maleficent. A look of suspicion caused his brow to crease. I shifted in the shadows to get a better look at the boy. By chance, I caught a glimpse of his eyes…

The door burst open and the pirate with the rapier took a few steps inwards and then motioned for the boy to follow him. "Just remember, this is no pleasure cruise. It won't be a pleasant voyage."

His eyes were so strange…

"Why are you doing all of this for me?" He turned to Maleficent, "what's the catch?"

"Catch? What's the catch?" Maleficent took a step towards Riku. "Silly boy. You're like a son to me. I only want you to be happy." She reached out a hand to touch his face gently. Riku raised his own and angrily shoved her outstretched fingers away. His eyes flashed with fury and power.

"I seriously doubt that." Maleficent stood back from the boy and smiled slightly.

"Believe what you wish. But lest we forget, I kept my end of the bargain." Riku stormed out with the pirate in tow.

The color of his eyes was so familiar. Such an odd color for eyes to be, no one had eyes like that. Such a perfect mixture of blue and green. Such a wonderful color. The only other person with eyes like that was…

I stomped out of my hiding place with such speed and hostility that I nearly smashed into the green table. Hades blanched and Maleficent looked slightly taken aback. I gripped the table and cracked the stone. Maleficent opened her mouth to speak but I interrupted her.

"Where is he from?"

"I beg your par-"

"WHERE IS HE FROM, WITCH?"

"I don't understand what y-"

And suddenly I was standing beneath her. My hand gripped her forehead and wrenched her from the floor. Her staff clattered to the ground and she let out a small scream. "WHAT WORLD DID HE COME FROM? WHERE? TELL ME!"

Hades stepped forward from his place on the other side of the room. "We think he came from a small world called Destiny Islands." I winced and hurled Maleficent across the room. She hit the wall with a thud but landed on her feet, slightly woozy.

"NO!" Everything was wrong. This boy couldn't possibly be another. "THAT IS NOT WHERE HE IS FROM!"

"Well…that's where he came from last."

"He can't be. I know he isn't. There is no way."

"We-"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"Quiet." Maleficent spoke out from her place against the wall. "I searched his memories. Everything he can recall takes place on Destiny Islands." I punched a sizeable hole in the wall and was about to scream again when Maleficent continued. "But, there is a gap. He can not remember anything before the age of two. Normally this is a regular occurrence. People forget things they do at that age. Riku's memories, however, do not seem to be forgotten, but instead eradicated. There is a space of nothingness where memories should be. It reeks of the Nexus."

I paused and began to furiously align the thoughts in my head. A gap, the Nexus, eradicated memories…

"Someone may have traveled between worlds when the boy was young and somehow destroyed his memories of anything in the previous world."

"Exactly."

I stood there for a moment in thought and then walked towards the large wooden doors. "Leave me be. If anyone disturbs me I will kill them." I wandered the hallways of Hollow Bastion for a long time until I finally came to a library. I placed Masamune on the table in front of me and sat down into a large comical looking chair.

I had seen his eyes. I knew what they were, but it still couldn't be possible. That world had been destroyed. Time could not be so lax as to let him age so much in that time. Cursing myself I remembered the Nexus and its effects on those who travel through it. It let the traveler out at the right time. It had taken me a week to reach Hollow Bastion. It had taken Maleficent a day at most to find her way here. I had not faltered in my path, she had not moved faster. We had just reached the same destination at the time when it was most important for us to be there.

The Nexus did not work in the interests of time, but instead in the interest of fate. That which is fated to be will never be missed due to a particularly long travel. Always, will you reach your destination in time. I knew this was the truth but it went against everything my life had taught me. I had grown up amongst scientists. I was no lab assistant, I had been the experiment.

Hojo.

This couldn't possibly have been his doing…he had died, he had been murdered months before Cloud had reached the Core. Could he really of created such a terrible mess so quickly before he died?

But his eyes. His eyes did not lie. Those effervescent spheres held all the truth I could possibly need. I knew why they were such a wondrous color. The only thing that could make ones eyes such a shade was Mako. Cloud had eyes like that, I had eyes like that. Zack had eyes like that as well although not nearly so bright as ours. He was just a Soldier he hadn't been one of the numbered.

Where was Riku's number? Surely the boy would have discovered it. Surely he would recall some faint memory of a white room with a pale man in a white coat. That man leaning over him and staring so happily through his spectacles at you because you existed. Because you were the perfect little ball of facts and data that he had always been waiting for. You were his next grant. You were the one that he had killed for, the one he had betrayed those he loved for. The one that he had given up love for. And what did you need to do? You just needed to kill.

Is that what you are, boy? The last of that insane man's insane experiments? Are you the final version of me? Do you have Mother grafted into your DNA? Do you hear her speaking still? Are you gifted with her perfect voice? Are you the one who took her away from me?

Hojo! Was this your intention? Did you truly intend to strip me of her heavenly voice so that you could just create another me? Did you want someone who wouldn't hate you? Did you create him because of all those days I would stare at the back of your lab coat and hope so fervently that you would just somehow die like everything else you let me near in that spotlessly clean white room?

I closed my eyes and began to speak out loud the thoughts that plagued my mind.

"Or is it because Cloud was your failure? The numberless experiment that you gave up on because you thought it wasn't even worth it? What made you create this new me? Does he have Mother inside like I used to? And who is looking after the boy now Hojo? You could not have meant him to find an end alone in a new world."

"Oh I wouldn't think that's what he wanted at all."

Without opening my eyes I reached forward and unsheathed Masamune. The blade snaked out as a silver blur. It cut through the air, splitting molecules of nitrogen and oxygen as it went. The blade passed through the area where the voice had came from…and passed on. As the blade came around I stood up, turned in a complete three sixty degrees, adding momentum to the blade and then swinging upward at the ceiling.

I heard a slight yelp and then a rushing of air as the owner of the voice leaped through the air. Masamune cut a deep gash into the ceiling and came away clean. Eyes still closed I took off after the sound of rushing air. When I felt as if I were in range I once again flicked out Masamune in a sideways arc.

Suddenly there was a strong gust of wind and I heard a long laugh from below. I landed atop a bookcase and opened my eyes. I turned slowly and gazed downwards at the other man. He shook with laughter, wild red hair shaking with his heaves. He wore all black and no skin showed save for his neck and head. He cackled gleefully and clapped his hands together.

"This is fantastic!" he let out a loud roar of laughter. "Such prowess in battle! With your eyes closed even! Oh my, but that was fun!" I stared at the red-headed man with a calm expression. "Oh dear, but you're not terribly smart. Can't you see I have information for you?"

"I have no need for your information."

The redheaded man shook a finger and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Tsk tsk, I think you do. You see…I know all about you, Sephiroth, and Riku as well. That is to say…I know more than you do."

"I do not care."

"Oh my, so hasty aren't we? That's such bad manners, not listening to what others have to say. We can't have that. Now, Sephiroth…I know exactly what kind of person you are. You were always in control. You always knew exactly what was happening. You were always the one pulling the strings, and as a result, you will never let anyone pull your strings again."

"I do not need to hear this from a punk kid like you." I teleported behind him and tore Masamune from my side in a deafening blow that sent shockwaves through the library.

"Come now…I wasn't finished speaking." The man landed on his feet on the top of the nearest book case. "As I was saying…you can't stand to see someone pulling your strings so you act like your in control and you kill anything that keeps you from that delusion. I come to you with a request."

"I will not hear it."

"Well it would be a shame for me to come all this way and not have you hear it so here I go-" My feet wrenched from the ground and I flew headlong at the redhead. My right leg flung out and made a strike for his torso that he easily sidestepped. Using the momentum from the first attack I spun around in mid air and heaved Masamune around in an arc. The man ducked and rolled out of the way and I brought my left fist smashing down on him. With surprising agility he unfurled himself and evaded my punch. I brought Masamune down to cleave a great rift in the bookcase, narrowly missing the man.

As out acrobatics continued on, the man began to speak. "I request that you listen to me as I tell you everything you could possibly need to know about Riku, and Hojo. As a result, we will be pulling a string of yours." He managed to lean back just in time as my leg extended upwards to his head in a swift snap kick. "We know just how much you hate the idea of being used but we assure you that if you were to ever find out the information I would simply give to you now, and act upon it? Even then would we be pulling that single string." Breathing a bit more raggedly, the man spun away from a thrust of my Masamune. "Worry not, Sephiroth. The strings we pull do not affect you…directly…and it would all be to your advantage to listen to me now an-oops!" Masamune snaked out swiftly, biting into the man's clothing and cutting a shallow mark into his skin. "Ouch…that kinda stings. I understand that now wouldn't be the best time to ask you to make a decision…but I will nevertheless. Sephiroth, will you hear me out or will I be forced to fight back, not knowing who would survive?"

With one final downward slash at the man, I hopped away from him and paused. The redhead crossed his arms and waited at the other end of the bookcase. He was clearly a powerful fighter. Using nearly three quarters of my power I had only managed to make a shallow harmless cut in him. Who knows how hard he was fighting…certainly not to the best of his ability. In a fight I could probably kill him, but I would leave that fight with at least several wounds.

Not to mention the fact that he had used "we" at some point. He had colleagues. People who would not take his death lightly. If I killed him, how long would I have until they sent more? Not enough. If I listened to him…the only thing that would really be damaged…would be my pride. Pride…I thought I had gotten rid of that long ago. Apparently not. Apparently it had only grown stronger because there was never anyone who could question it. The answer was obvious…but still so difficult. The redhead was right in so many ways…he knew how I thought.

I returned Masamune to its sheath. "Fine…I will hear what you have to say."

The redhead clapped his hands with glee and shouted, "Excellent!" He stuck out his hand and strode forward, stopping an arms reach away from me. He stood there expectantly, looking from my face to his hand and back. "I suppose a hand shake is out of the question?"

I did not dignify him with an answer and instead asked, "What is your name?"

"Ah yes…how rude of me. My name…is Axel."

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'Ello? Wha's all this then? I must say that my story is progressing in plot faster than I can think it out…I hope its still good…and that I can eventually come to some kind of rational conclusion to all of this…but that's doubtful. I will try my best though…I thought bringing in the XIII order was a bit iffy…gimme your reviews so I can gauge how acceptable it is. God it hurts so much to have Sephiroth not be in total control of everything…but if he was this story would be pretty boring. Ok…shout out to xsaturnine for being the coolest girl ever and reviewing. Why are all the signed reviews by girls? I don't have a problem with it but I had always thought that guys would be very attracted to story about Sephiroth as well. Don't worry xsaturnine…if I haven't already worked out the whole Planet vs Hollow Bastion thing…I will at some point. R&R! Later.