Holy shit! Omigod…dudes…I just put the entirety of chapters 1-10 together on word…its 50 freaking pages! That is so long! Wow…holy crap. That really puts things in perspective…in any case…I don't hold it against anybody for not reading this whole thing. It is LONG! Wow…

Erm…furiously calculates how to make a clever disclaimer

Knock knock!

Who's there?

Disney and Square Enix.

Disney and Square Enix who?

Disney and Square Enix are not going to sue your sorry ass because you don't own jack.

…

Oh…hey guys. You wanna come in for drinks?

No we're good.

TALLY HO! ONTO THE FIC!

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Shadow Feather: Chapter 11

Powers > You

(want to much and gain nothing)

The Nexus felt colder. I let myself drift for a time. I didn't think or try to aim myself in any particular direction, simply because I wanted to see where I went. For a long time I drifted aimlessly through darkness. Contours rose upwards and then fell back into nothingness. The blackness seemed to flow like some sort of canvas of nothingness. It dashed back and forth while staying in the same place. It was mind-blowing.

But it felt colder. I could not remember ever feeling any sort of temperature in the Nexus before. It was a strange sensation. As I floated, I felt the temperature begin to drop further and further so I tried to travel in the direction that would lead me to what I assumed to be the source. Upon nearing the source I began to hear heavy breathing.

The labored breath came in short bursts, gasping and heaving. The breather sounded as if they were in motion, running and jumping all around. I quickened my pace, hurrying ever nearer to the sound. As the breathing became deafening, it began to mix with small giggles and other more abrasive laughter.

A glint of silver could be seen in the distance. My insides turned to stone. I felt like vomiting. Finally I began to run. As quickly as I could I ran and ran towards the individual. The boy danced and cut with a short sword into masses of giggling Heartless. Over his shoulder he held onto a little girl. He would clear a way for himself and then take off; ignoring the ones he left behind. He bled from several light wounds as well as from a deep gash in his left flank.

A larger Heartless rose upwards to its full height, which was nearly as tall as myself and motioned for the others to stand back. It began shuffling forward after the escaping boy. With a burst of energy I dashed towards it. The Neo Heartless jumped from its place on the ground and raised a clawed hand to strike the fleeing child. I tore through the group of smaller Heartless from behind and drew Masamune.

There was a flash of silver metal and the Neo Heartless burst into dark smoke that washed over Riku's retreating form. The giggling stopped immediately. Riku did not turn or pause but instead limped quickly onwards. A limp Kairi slowed him down as she bounced up and down from her perch on his shoulder.

I looked at him for a moment and then whispered, "Cure 3." To my surprise, this had no effect. I frowned and said, "Cure 2." When this did nothing I sighed and said, more in exasperation than anything else, "Cure." Green leaves formed over Riku's head and his limp disappeared. As his strides became more regular he glanced over his shoulder. I quickly turned my body away from him and faced the crowd of Heartless in front of me.

"I won't let you hurt anyone, any more," I growled softly. I sounded like Leon. With a final look over my shoulder to make sure that Riku was indeed retreating, I returned my entire attention to the Heartless. They shivered and danced in front of me. There weren't all that many. The boy must have taken care of a lot of them before I had arrived. A Neo Heartless stepped forward and then made an attempt to dart around me. I spun swiftly and grabbed it by an antenna. Its momentum caused it to lose footing and it fell to the ground. I raised Masamune and stabbed quickly through the forehead of the beast. Upon removing my blade, the Heartless burst into smoke.

The other Heartless bobbed and weaved silently now, watching with caution. I took a slow step forward and then dashed into the most concentrated group of them. I raised my hand and summoned fire from the ground beneath me. Three enormous pillars of flame erupted all around me and the Heartless were eradicated. Those that had not been caught in the blast made a mad dash in the direction that Riku had run in.

With Masamune flashing in front of me, I cleaved quickly through the straggling shadows. When the entire area was clear I followed Riku's trail. After a long time, the trail came to an end. I knew that this was the exit to Hollow Bastion. I paused for a moment and then let myself fade back into existence. I landed at the doorway to the chapel. Eagerly I pressed my ear to the wall and heard long gasps from the room inside.

"It was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel," said Maleficent. "Remember, relying too heavily on your dark powers can cost you your heart."

"That cold hearted witch," I whispered under my breath. "Now is a fine time to tell him this.

Suddenly an enormous roar shattered the air. It bounced and echoed through the hallways and left my ears ringing. I heard Riku shuffle to his feet, still panting. Maleficent's cloak brushed gently against the floor.

"A castaway," she said with contempt. Though his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will. But fear not. No harm will come to you." I could almost hear the disgusting smile form on Maleficent's lips. I heard her hands lightly caress Riku and she whispered, "He is no match for your power."

Once again my insides hardened into stone and I fell back against the wall. It was hard to breath. With the majority of my senses in disarray, I hurled myself at the large chapel doorway. It would not budge. Not only that, but it made no sound. I pounded the doorway and screamed to Riku that he should not listen. I drew Masamune and hacked at the doorway only to be thrown back by some invincible force. I clasped at my head and stood up shakily.

"My power?"

Dammit. I hurled myself against the door again, only to be thrust back into the wall again. As I connected I felt blood enter my throat and spew forth onto the stone floor. I beat the ground with my fist and stood up again. I steadied myself against the wall and rushed the doorway again.

"Yes, the untapped power that lies within you." Once again, the sound of my assault was unheard and I felt my self crash to the floor. My head pounded but I once again stood up. "Now, child, it's time you awakened that power and realized your full potential."

The scream from inside the chapel mixed with my own as I rushed the great wooden doorway again. This time I was not repelled but instead crumpled against the doorway with my hand raised against the wood. As I lay there, blood trickling slowly from my mouth, I began to cry again.

"No need for that," came a voice to my left. I looked upwards and saw through tears a man in a long black robe with bright silver hair. He looked downwards at me and gave a slight sniff of disgust. "Curaga." A bright light formed above me and the blood flow came to a cease. I stood up shakily and eyed the man with suspicion. He had a very calculating look on his face.

"You're dressed like Axel."

"Ah…then you did meet him." I nodded and the man smiled slightly. "My name is Zexion. I came here to let you know a little something." He leaned in closer to my face and said with disgusting amounts of superiority, "You will not stop the boy from reaching his…'full potential.' We will not allow it."

I scowled and punched the great wooden doors. I felt a charge run through my fist and I withdrew it quickly. "Then this is your doing?"

"Yes, among other things." He smiled benignly and crossed his arms. "Of course, once this little ordeal is through, feel free to do whatever you wish with the boy." Zexion made a small bow and took several steps away from me. I felt my blood rising. My left hand clenched on thin air and my right hand upon the Masamune's hilt. In a second, Zexion's decapitated head flew across the hall and landed with a squishing noise against the opposite wall.

Breathing heavily I sheathed Masamune and tried desperately to calm myself. Zexion's body hit the floor and twitched violently for several seconds until it finally lay still. Blood poured from the open neck of the man and pooled around his body. I let loose a final sigh of my passing rage and turned around.

"Sephiroth…how..." Aerith stood by the door with her hands covering her mouth in horror. Tears formed in her eyes and she looked about to collapse.

"Aerith?" I asked dumbly.

"Sephiroth…how could you do this?" She pointed in terror at the lifeless body of Zexion.

I felt the force of her sadness hit me like a punch to my gut. I opened and closed my mouth in shame and confusion. "He…he was trying to hurt Riku!"

"Sephiroth…didn't I tell you?" Aerith fell to her knees and let loose sobs of anguish. "I told you that even those who hurt people dear to you need to be protected."

"Aerith…I-"

"Was it all just some kind of joke to you?" She now stood, pointing a finger accusingly at me. "Are you toying with us again Sephiroth?"

I let my knees give way under her terrible charges. "No! I never meant…"

"Are we just to be your ridiculous puppets again, Sephiroth? Do you mean to keep toying with all of our emotions! Sephiroth I trusted you to protect people! I gave you another chance and you turned right around and went back to the person you always were!"

"Aerith…please…"

"No! You will get no more pity from me! You are worthless! You never did deserve to be forgiven you heartless bastard!"

"Please…I didn't mean to…" I looked up into her deep grey eyes. Searching for some sort of pity or forgiveness. I found nothing in her steely gaze.

But…Aerith did not have grey eyes in Traverse Town…

I rolled to the side just in time to avoid an enormous tomahawk come crashing into the floor where I had been kneeling. I steadied myself against the doorway and dried my eyes. A large muscular man wearing the same robe as Axel and Zexion stood and brandished his weapon at me. He had short and spiky brown hair. He frowned widely and turned to Aerith.

"Dammit Zexion I thought you said you would get his guard down!"

Aerith frowned and turned to the large man. "Lexaeus…it seems that is not the case. It would be better to abort this mission."

"Are you certain?"

Aerith suddenly blinked out of existence and in her place stood Zexion. "Without a doubt."

I stood up shakily and unsheathed Masamune. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Leaving."

"Not if I have anything to do with it!" I charged at the two men and cut out with Masamune. As the blade neared Zexion's head, he blinked out of the world along with Lexaeus. The two of them had retreated into the Nexus. I glanced around the hallway and muttered, "Dammit." Finally I sheathed Masamune. Zexion's other body was gone and there was no trace of blood. Nothing showed that he had existed at all. "Stupid illusions…"

I heard the large oak doors begin to open. In alarm I focused on the library of Hollow Bastion and teleported just as Riku strode out of the doorway. In the library, things were quiet. I waited there for several minutes and then decided to pay Maleficent a little visit.

As soon as I materialized inside the chapel I dashed toward Maleficent and grabbed her by the neck. I thrust her against the wall and tore here scepter out of her hands. It clattered to the ground. I stared fiercely into her eyes and waited for the fear of her situation to sink in. She sputtered slightly and then grimaced.

"So…you heard what I did to Riku then?"

"Yes," I spat.

"And you are displeased?"

"What exactly did you do, witch?"

Maleficent began to laugh loudly. Her laughter rose and filled the Chapel. Her cackling grew so intense that I finally dropped her to the floor. She looked wildly at me and smiled an insane smile. "Why I only did what I said I would! I unlocked his hidden potential! Is that such a crime?" I raised my hand and brought it sharply across the woman's face. The blow sent her sprawling across the floor. When she came to a stop she drew herself to her feet.

"I'm sorry...are you still pretending to be his angel?" I began to close the distance between the two of us. "Isn't it difficult to be an angel with only one wing?" I thrust my fist into her gut, driving the wind from her. She crumpled to the ground. After gasping for several seconds she continued to speak. "It is far too late. You are far too late! The boy has grown accustomed to his power! He will never let it go!" My fist connected with her jaw and she flew across the room. When she reached the opposite wall, she came to a stop with a crash. She was breathing lightly now, unconscious.

"Dammit…I am going to save him…I am going to do everything I can."

"You have come this far, and still you understand so little?" A familiar bass voice resonated through the chapel. I whirled around and saw a man in a long brown cloak standing in the doorway.

"You…"

"Sephiroth…I must say I would have expected more." The hooded man made a wide gesture with his arms. "Never would I have dreamed you to become so weak and dependant on fools."

"Ansem..."

"I see you remember me. I also see that you have your wing now." Ansem floated toward me. "How does it feel?" I eyed the shadowed hood and began to grow suspicious. "Come now, you can tell me."

"Ansem…what are you doing here?"

"Ahaha…questions again is it? I am glad you remember the lessons I taught you."

"I said, what are you doing here?"

Ansem let loose a deep rumbling laugh that filled the chapel. I crossed the floor at kicked into Ansem's gut. The cloak caved in around me and the whole thing crumpled to the floor. Confused, my eyes darted around the room. Ansem was not in the cloak, nor was he anywhere in the chapel.

"Oh my. Such a violent person aren't you?" Ansem's disembodied voice floated through the air. "I suppose you wouldn't know this, only having met me in the Nexus. Sephiroth…I gave up my mortal body a long time ago."

I picked up the cloak at my feet. "I suppose that does explain this."

"Very perceptive. I gave up my body, my humanity in order to reach a state of being far beyond that of mere mortals. Much like yourself I seek ultimate power. I want to be immortal! I seek to use Kingdom Hearts to flood myself with the power of Darkness! Only then will I ever be immortal. I cast off my mortal shell to gain what I have now." Loud laughter shook the chapel walls. "But it wasn't enough. It still isn't enough. I need another body. I need to find my way back into the corporeal world again. Sephiroth, there are forces at work here far beyond anything you have ever experienced. And that is saying a lot."

"What are you doing here?" I repeated with more clarity.

"Here? Why here? Why now? Well, Sephiroth, why not? I have my reasons and there is nothing you can do to stop me, because I am not really here to begin with."

"What are you talking about?"

"That boy, Riku? He's quite an interesting case. He is using the powers of Darkness for someone other than himself. This is almost unheard of. Unfortunately, it will only result in his own destruction. I am sure you are aware of this?" I gritted my teeth in anger and glanced toward the sleeping Maleficent.

"I am aware, yes."

"Well why let his body go to waste?"

"What?"

"In a matter of time Riku will steal the Keyblade from Sora and then lose it. The loss will be too much for him and he will come running, full of self doubt and self loathing, searching even more adamantly for power. That is when I will come to him with exactly what he wants and how to get it. He will give in to my demands instantly and he will be open to my influence."

"You…"

"And I will see to it that you can do absolutely nothing about it."

"Ansem…"

"You can try to protect everyone, but in the end, you'll only lose those you care about the most."

I felt something inside me vanish. I clutched at my chest and whispered, "No…" I felt my eyes start to fill with tears again. I kicked viciously at the green table and it shattered and crashed into pieces against the far wall. I screamed until my throat was sore and finally I heard Ansem's voice return.

"Ah yes…I should probably send you somewhere to occupy yourself for a while."

"I am going to kill you, you cliché bastard!"

"I'd like to see you try. In the meantime, I will see you later."

Without warning I felt Hollow Bastion disappear around me and I was in the Nexus again. My body was moving through the Nexus without my own willing and I cried out. Several Heartless materialized and disappeared into the darkness that surrounded me, I was moving impossibly fast.

"I told you, I am already one with the Darkness. I can send you anywhere I want and for right now…I choose Agrabah."

Once again my settings changed and I was falling. Below me were miles of sand. After perhaps twenty feet I flipped myself around and landed nimbly on my feet. I stood up and closed my eyes, willing myself to enter the Nexus but it would not allow me inside.

Suddenly three enormous things burst out of the sand. All three of the sand creatures whirled around so quickly that I could not see what any of them really were. One by one they hit the ground and I finally saw what they truly are. Each of them had large cobra-like heads and six arms. Two arms each held gigantic sickles. They bobbed and weaved. Six enormous white and yellow robots. Upon examining them more closely, I discovered the same mark I had seen on many of the Heartless. These things were Heartless.

Ansem's voice emanated through the open desert air. "These are your distractions, Kurt Zisa. The only way to escape this planet is through the nexus and the only way to reenter it is to defeat at least two of them."

"Is this some kind of game to you?"

"I suppose it could be."

With that, balls of fire formed all around me and one of the robots leapt into the air and began to spin. It shot toward me with its blades extended. I drew Masamune and prepared for the inevitable battle to come.

There are indeed powers at work that are greater than I.

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Ugh…I don't really like this chapter so much…I think it started out good but I was sort of floundering by the end. Which is a shame. Also…I think I lied before…at this rate the battle with Sora won't be in the next few chapters at all. Sorry.

Ok…I'm very sorry at yelling at everyone for reviews…I didn't mean to be so angsty. I realize now that just because I check every day doesn't mean that other people do. It's only been a month and I shouldn't expect so much. So I apologate. (three points to anyone who can tell me where "apologate" came from.)

Appreciations! Ok…kmsaum my super best friend! Thank you for the reviews! I'm proud that you think my fid to be above suggestions but I would still like them, even if I end up not using them.

Prinsessa Garnet! Thank you very much for your review! I am glad that you think I write my characters well. I try very hard to be as in character as I can be. Of course…that goes against Sephiroth here but one can't write an interesting story about someone if they never change at all. I was glad to receive your e-mail as well I really like the idea of Riku and Sephiroth fighting together. I hope one day that the plot allows that to happen. And I promise you that I will finish this fic. No matter what.

Xsaturnine! Once again you have the first review of the latest chapter. I really appreciate your constant reviews and can only hope to repay you with constant chapters.

…

Me: xsaturnine? pokes with stick Hello? rolls over to reveal enormous stab wound OH NOES! gives phoenix down and then walks away with a sense of accomplishment

Sephiroth: Erm…that won't help. points to Masamune

Me: What? looks at the still deceased xsaturnine SEPHIROTH!

Sephiroth: Sorry…

Me: grabs xsaturnine's corpse and holds it in front of Sephiroth Kiss it and make it better!

Sephiroth: What?

Me: Do it or I'll kill you in the next chapter. Sephiroth grumbles and kisses xsaturnine

I'll leave the rest up to xsaturnine…are my author's note things to long? I think so.