Ok…so…xsaturnine…I want you to know how cool I think you are right now. I'm like…so glad that there's someone out there who reads along almost as fast as I write. You're just the most wonderful influence toward my writing save Kingdom Hearts and its affiliated characters. You're just so wonderful. Thank you for reading.

peeks over the screen and points excitedly at characters, places and things owned by Disney and Squaresoft/Enix Holy crap! What's that? Over there? DO I own that? DO I OWN THAT!

…

No.

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Shadow Feather: Chapter 9

Can You Shield Them Too?

(shake my hand!)

There had been a time when I had hated her. There had been a time when I was so blinded by my search for power that I wanted only to see her dead. There had been a time when my only goal was to rid her from the Planet. There had been a time where the very thought of this woman in pink would send my mind reeling into a bloodthirsty rage. There had been a time when I had fallen, like death itself and finally rid myself of her accursed sight.

But that time had passed. That was then and this was now. And that was all that mattered. Something had taken pity on me. Some real god somewhere had saved this perfect being from death and gave me another chance to repent for my sins. This was that chance. Right here, and right now.

And all I could do was cry. My head spun and I fell against the wall, trying desperately to steady myself against the rushing current of emotions. How many times would this happen to me? I was tired of it, being swept away by this rushing tide. I had had enough.

But I still couldn't stop. For the second time, my emotions brought my knees to the floor. I reached up and gripped at my forehead, trying somehow to put the tears back. Trying so hard not to be weak. I shouldn't be weak in front of her. Shouldn't be weak in front of them. They deserved better. They deserved someone strong. I could be that person. I knew I could.

So I punched the ground again and again because something inside me was keeping me from being that person. The stone tiles cracked and shuddered under the pounding of my fists. My tears fell onto the ground and seeped into the cracks I was creating. For the second time I wondered how on earth so much water could be falling from my eyes.

How could she forgive me after what I did? After what I tried to do? What right did I have to be forgiven? I didn't have any right. No right at all. I should never be forgiven. Not like this. I didn't deserve it. I shouldn't be forgiven, only given another chance. Another chance to somehow right the wrongs I placed upon other people. Upon these people. These innocent people.

And suddenly there were hands. Hands connected to arms that slowly enveloped me in their grasp. They were so warm. So wonderful. They ran down my back and found a place fight above my wing. They pulled me toward a body. Pulled me into something pink. I couldn't move. I couldn't return the gesture. I never could. Through bleary eyes I caught a glimpse of something brown hanging down over a shoulder.

I stayed there for a long time. Hunched over, my body racked with sobs. Finding so much more comfort that I deserved in this single embrace. I felt something soft nestle against my head and make its way toward my ear.

A small voice whispered, "It's ok to cry."

I gasped for breath and shook my head. I tried to say no, but nothing came out.

"You can cry all you want."

I shook my head again. Mouthing "no" after "no", finally a sound came out. I forgot the "n" but continued anyway.

"…o."

"And why not?"

How could she be asking this of me? How could she expect me to be able to tell her that? There was no chance, but I had to try. Not for me. For her.

"I…d…t…des…ve…t…is."

"Why don't you deserve it?"

How could she expect this from me? It was too hard. Too hard. I wanted to fade into nothing so I wouldn't need to speak. It would be so easy, to. Simply slip into the nexus and be done with it. But I just kept crying and tried so hard to answer her.

"What could I have possibly done that would lead you to forgive me? I don't deserve to be forgiven. I need to repent first. I need to do something to try and make up for the things I've done. I don't deserve to be forgiven. Not yet."

I heard Cid give a grunt of agreement and shift his spear onto the ground. Aerith pulled me close for a moment and then let go and stood up. I felt colder. She stepped backwards and looked at me. I didn't raise my head. I couldn't look at her.

"Is that really what you want?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"You truly believe that you can not be forgiven until you repent?"

"Yes."

Aerith sighed and knelt in front of me. I felt her soft fingers grasp my chin firmly and raise my tear streaked face. She looked at me with eyes full of wisdom and then, with intense force behind her words, said, "Then that is all you need to be forgiven."

I choked on my own sob and tried to pull my head away.

"Stand up," she ordered.

I did so without hesitation, but with some difficulty.

"Sephiroth, what do you want to accomplish?" The question stunned me. I hadn't expected her to be so straightforward or forceful.

"I…want to protect someone." I paused for a moment and thought about this. "No…I want to protect…several people."

"Who do you want to protect?"

The intensity in her voice made me falter. "I…I don't know."

"Then what good is wanting to protect someone if you do not know who you want to protect?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Of courses. I want to protect Riku."

"And who else?"

"And…" I thought for a moment. "I want to protect Sora." I heard Leon whisper something under his breath containing the word "key."

"Who else?"

"I want to protect Leon." I heard Yuffie giggle and Leon slap his forehead in exasperation. "And Yuffie." The ninja looked at me in utter confusion. "I want to protect Cid."

"I don't need you to…" his voice trailed off as Aerith gave him a look.

"I want…to protect you."

Without even pausing Aerith asked, "And who else?"

"And…I want to protect…" I found it hard to say. So hard. Harder than anything I had ever needed to do in my life.

"Who, do you want to protect?"

"I want to protect Cloud." Aerith looked at me. Her expression was nearly unreadable. I couldn't understand. What did she want?

"Is that it?"

Taken aback I stuttered, "Yes…yes it is." Aerith shook her head and sighed. She raised a hand and pointed a finger at me.

"And what about the people you have never met before? What would you do if you saw someone trying to harm them? Would you protect them as well? Would you lay your life on the line for someone you know nothing about?" I lowered my head. "Look at me Sephiroth!" I stood up in confusion, avoiding her eyes but eventually coming to rest on them. "Look at me and listen well.

"You are right. You are not fit to be forgiven. You need to see that just protecting those you know is not enough. If you ever wish to be free of your sins, you need to understand that there will always be people who need to be protected. There are people out there who cause harm to others. Who do you protect? The one's who are innocent? Or the one's who are guilty?

"Sephiroth, you must protect them both. You must protect everyone. There is no one in this world that does not deserve to be protected. Those who are guilty need even more protection than the innocent. They need to be protected from themselves. No one was there to protect you when you needed it most. That is why you killed me in the end. Not because of some voice in your head whispering of power. I know what happened to you.

"You can not save everyone, Sephiroth. And no one would ever ask you to. Instead I ask you, can you try? Can you put yourself at risk for someone who has caused terrible harm to someone you love? What will you extend to that person? A hand or a fist? It is hard. It always will be, but if you can not do that, then you really do not deserve to be forgiven." She looked at me with steel in her eyes. "Can you do that, Sephiroth?"

I stood there for a long time, contemplating the incredible task she was setting before me. I knew what the right answer was. I knew what I should do. I knew that by now, I wasn't the person I used to be. I just didn't know if I could really do it. Could I really protect everyone? I had never been a selfish person. I had always lived my life for someone else. Mother. But could I do that for people I had never even met? Could I protect people who caused me harm?

No matter what…I had to try.

"Yes."

Aerith's face softened and she let loose a brilliant smile. "Then I can forgive you."

"Aerith!" Cid yelled, waving his spear about haphazardly, "Are you really just going to…just going to fucking…are you really…"

"You can't really forgive him can you?" interrupted Yuffie. "After he…ya know…"

"Killed you," finished Cid.

"WHAT?" screamed Leon. Aerith turned to them and smiled. She started to say something but I raised a hand to cut her off. I faced the three people in front of me and took a deep breath.

"Yuffie…Cid…I can't ask you to forgive me. I won't ask you to forgive me. I still don't see how Aerith can." I paused for a moment and took another deep breath, and then continued. "But…I will tell you this. I meant what I said. I do want to protect everyone. I have changed. I don't want the things I used to. Regardless of whether you believe me or not…I want to protect people now. And I want your help…because I can't possibly hope to do it alone. I don't ask you to forgive, or to befriend me…but…please…help me…and…" I took another deep breath. "Give me another chance."

Cid grunted noncommittally and shouldered his spear. He took a cigarette out of his pants pocket and patted his other one in search of matches. He let loose a low growl when he couldn't find any and gave me a small glance and whispered "fire" at the cigarette tip. A ball of flame burst out of his hand and ignited the cigarette, also causing a large scorch mark on the ground. He raised the cigarette to his lips and took a long draw from it. When he let his breath go, the smoke danced and swirled crazily into the sky. He sighed for a long time and shifted his weight to his other foot.

"I don't suppose you'd like one?" he inquired roughly.

"I don't smoke."

"Good! Cause this is my last one." And with that he strode past me and up the ramp into a small house at the top level of the district. I watched him go and then turned around to see the young ninja standing far to close to me. She stared up into face with a carefully set expression on her own. Yuffie raised one eyebrow and then stepped back, increasing the distance between us to about two feet. She tapped her foot in concentration and then stuck out her hand with vigor.

"Well if Cid let's you in, I might as well."

I looked down at her hand for a moment and then back to her face and said, "Thank you."

"NO NO NO!" The young ninja stamped her foot and grabbed my right hand. "When you let someone join your team you need to shake hands!" she viciously shook my hand up and down. "That's how it's always been done so don't try and cheat your way out of it just because you think being moody is cool!"

Alarmed at the new expression I stuttered slightly. "O-ok?"

"Good!" She let go of my hand and crossed her arms. "That's better!" And then she stalked off into the same building that Cid had. Aerith giggle lightly from behind me and I just shook my head. I turned back around to see Leon standing in front of me.

"Listen…I don't know what happened with all of you guys before you came here…but if they can forgive you then I guess I shouldn't have any bad opinions yet." He looked at me with interest in his eyes and said, "You're strong…I'm sure you'll make a great addition to the team."

"Thank you, Leon."

Leon started to walk past me towards the ramp when suddenly someone yelled, "THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO, SQUAAAAAAAALL!" Leon stopped in his tracks and looked up guiltily at the District wall where Yuffie was leaning over in anger.

"My name is-"

"Your name is 'mud' until you shake his hand!" yelled the young ninja, shaking a fist with rage.

"But Cid didn't have to!" he yelled back. Aerith laughed loudly.

Yuffie stopped shaking her fist and clapped her hand over her mouth. "Omigod! You're right! I'll be right back!" She dashed out of view and then came back. "You two better shake hands!"

Leon looked at me and shrugged. "Better do what she says…I've seen Yuffie when she's mad…Cid's in for it for sure." He held out his hand and I reached out and grasped it. After a brief shake, we parted and Leon walked toward the ramp. After watching him disappear behind the wall, I looked to Aerith.

"I…I guess…thank you."

She let loose another brilliant smile and said cheerfully, "I'm just glad you came around finally."

"Yuffie! 'Ey! Leggo 'o me! YUFFIE!" sounds of struggling burst from the second floor of the District. "OW! OW! Yuffie lemme go! Oh! Shit Yuffie! That was my last cigarette!"

"I don't care! It's what you get for breaking the rules!"

"What rules! Yuffie? Not so close to the wall! What are you going to-"

"Heave…"

"YUFFIE!"

"HO!"

"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGHHHH!" a disheveled Cid flew over the wall of the District and came falling swiftly to earth where he hit with a resounding smash. "OOF!" Yuffie came next, flipping gracefully over him to land several feet away. Cid righted himself and groaned in pain.

"Oh come on you big baby. You'll get over it."

"Get over it? YUFFIE I COULDA DIED!"

"NOT BEFORE YOU SHAKE HANDS WITH HIM YOU DON'T!"

"I DON"T LIKE SHAKING HANDS!"

"BUT THAT'S THE RULE!"

Cid shook his head and crossed his arms. "You can't make me."

"Yes I can."

"I'd like to see you try." And as the word try left the pilot's lips, Yuffie leapt onto his back and wrestled him to the ground. She swiftly pinned one of his hands behind his back in such a way that all his other limbs were useless.

"I'd like to remind you that I am a ninja."

Cid tried to speak through his mouthful of ground. "THO WHAT?"

"So I happen to know every pressure point on your body."

"I don't care!"

Yuffie paused and contemplated his last statement. She smiled devilishly and leaned in very close to the pilot's ear. "I also know…THAT YOU'RE TICKLISH UNDER THE ARMS!" She let go of Cid's arm and began to furiously tickle the man. Cid bucked and gyrated with heaves of laughter and finally managed to gasp out a sentence.

"Alright! I'll shake hands!"

Yuffie jumped up and smiled benignly at him. "Good! See to it then."

Grumbling, Cid stood up and gruffly thrust out a hand toward me. I smiled and took it firmly in mine. After barely a second he snatched it back and turned to the little ninja. "Is that good enough?"

"Hmmmmmmm……it'll do," Yuffie relented.

"Welcome to the team, Sephiroth," Aerith said. "Now come inside and let's discuss why you're here."

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Good lord…I was on the third page…the THIRD PAGE!...I'm such an attention whore.

Uhm…I'm not really sure whether or not I like this chapter…too much dialogue…seems almost like I'm stalling for something. I did realize that I really like writing for Yuffie. I like her character a lot.

Anyway…so…that's another chapter full of final fantasy peeps for ya. If any of you have played final mix (sadly I have not) and beaten Sephiroth…I think you get a keychain for it right? If someone could clear that up for me that would be great cause that's gonna be part of the next chapter.

Erm…I shold have at least another chapter done by the end of the month…probably two. Possibly more if I'm feeling motivated. Xsaturnine…thank you so much again for being a faithful reviewer. I'd like to see that from the rest of you who review. I WILL PRAISE YOU HERE IF YOU DO!

That about covers it…if you review…gimme your opinion on how I present the other Final fantasy characters…I need some feedback on that. Thanks a bunch…later!