This is a pretty good chapter I think. Lots of action and plot progression. I think it's one of the best so far, but I'm biased.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned below. So don't sue me or I might cry.

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Shadow Feather: Chapter 12

Rough Ride on Our Side

(how strong is your heart?)

The approaching Kurt Zisa spun parallel to the ground at an alarming rate. Its two swords were held out to each side and as it flew it raised clouds of sand. I felt the wind before it was even thirty feet away. I quickly drew Masamune and prepared to block the attack. One of the enormous blades connected, followed quickly by the second. The impact made my bones shudder. For a split second, we were locked in a battle of strength. The robot's head swiveled to give me a confused look.

And then the momentum of the beast caused me to lift off my feet and careen off to my left. I spun wildly through the air, barely feet from the ground. Using my arms and wing, I steadied myself and finally stopped spinning. My muscles felt sore from the sudden jarring the blow had given me. I had hit several of the floating fireballs in my flight but hadn't felt any of them due to my speed.

My feet hit the ground and I skidded to a stop. Scanning the area in front of me, I saw one Kurt Zisa still concentrating on maintaining the fireballs scattered about while one, presumably the one that had attacked me before, jumped into the air and flew once again towards me. I had a brief epiphany. The sand I was standing upon was darker than the sand twenty feet ahead. I glanced upwards.

A Kurt Zisa brought its blades down with incredible force. I raised Masamune just in time to block the attack. The force behind the strike drove me downwards into the sand until I was up to my waist in it. The Kurt Zisa landed heavily above me and leaped away. Confused I looked around and saw that the Kurt Zisa who had been charging toward me was still doing so.

Unable to move I braced myself for the attack. The approaching Kurt Zisa was kicking up enormous sprays of sand as it spun perpendicular to the sand directly at my head. Raising Masamune once again I steeled myself for the blow. Steel rang on steel and though my arms did not buckle, I was driven even further into the shifting sands. The grains filled my eyes and mouth, halting my breath and blinding me.

I felt heat approaching me from behind. I struggled against the confining mountain of sand that was closing over me. The more I moved, the more sand fell onto my face. Finally I gave up and tried my best to concentrate. I felt myself teleport and I quickly cleared my eyes of the irritating sand. The sight that greeted me was not a pleasant one.

Nearly twenty feet in the air I began to fall slowly. A robot was already hurling towards me with unbelievable speed and another one followed it closely from behind. Being in the air, my maneuverability was severely compromised. Half-baked plans came and went through my mind like hummingbirds. Nothing stuck and nothing would work. The approaching nearest Zisa was only ten feet away. It would be upon me in less than a second. I raised Masamune in a futile gesture and prepared myself for the worst.

There was a flash of white black and gold and small figure floated where the Zisa had been only moments ago. The aforementioned Heartless was careening swiftly off to the right in a chaotic display of flailing arms and blades. The tiny figure paused in mid-air as the other flying Zisa drew nearer. With inhuman agility, the being brought one foot down upon a whirling blade, deflecting it downwards, and then the other foot came smashing downwards on the large cobra head.

The Kurt Zisa hurled downwards and smashed headlong into the ground below. It writhed there for a moment and then righted itself. The figure in black and I were approaching the ground and the tiny creature shifted and suddenly a golden blur formed and cut through the Zisa on the ground. We both landed and I hesitated. The small person paused and then the robot erupted into black smoke that faded then into nothingness.

Although my jaw did not drop, my mouth did open several millimeters in amazement. The diminutive being turned around and faced me. He wore the same clothes as Axel, Zexion and Lexaeus. In his right hand he held what appeared to be a golden Keyblade. It had very large ears.

"Hiya!"

My mouth opened several more millimeters. The creature threw back its hood to reveal the head of a very comical looking mouse. It had on a large smile and big bright eyes. Very much in contrast with something that had just destroyed one of the Kurt Zisa. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. The mouse creature began to walk towards me.

"The name's King Mickey! It's very nice to meetcha. I believe that you are Sephiroth?" It came to a stop about two feet in front of me and stuck out a tiny hand.

Shocked, I nodded dumbly and began to extend my own hand. Before we touched I came to my senses and snatched it back.

"Wait…why are you wearing that? Are you connected with those other people? Axel and Zexion?"

"Oh dear…you met them did you?" The mouse retracted his own hand and shook his head. "I can assure you that I mean you no harm. My connection to them is my own business but I do not side with them by any means."

There was something pure in the way the 'king' spoke. I nodded grudgingly and relaxed a bit. "Why are you here then?"

"Well I came to help you out."

"Why?"

Mickey paused for a moment and then raised an eyebrow. "Erm…because…three against one are unfair odds?"

It was very strange about getting such an honest answer. Something seemed out of place to get such a simple answer. Perhaps it was the use of numbers. The firmness of numbers and they're meanings just struck something inside me. My tongue fumbled briefly and I muttered out something along the lines of "Oh…well…yes."

"Excellent!" The mouse smiled brightly at me and then resumed a fighting stance. "I believe we still have a couple left right?" I nodded and readied myself.

The two remaining Kurt Zisa came barreling over a dune. Blades flashed in the dessert sand as they flew towards us. As I stood there I realized that my mind had been severely clouded in my earlier bout with them. I looked down at Mickey and it struck me that he had a calming aura about him. Something said that everything would turn out well enough in the end.

"I'll take the left one then?" queried Mickey.

"If you wish," I replied.

When the robots were only ten feet away, we both rolled out of the way. Both Heartless blew past, spraying sand in their wake. I watched closely as the head of my Kurt Zisa rotated quickly downwards. I flicked Masamune out with ease and felt it cut into something thin and metallic. The giant spinning robot hurtled onward but faltered after thirty feet. Its blades slipped from its hands and flew crazily in different directions. Six arms spewed outwards and hit the sand hard. The cobra head soared upwards, writhing and spitting. As it reached its arc it grew still. Finally it landed with a clank and burst into smoke, along with its body. I smiled slightly and then scanned the dunes to see how Mickey was faring.

"Watch out!"

A large foot came looming over my head. I rolled quickly to the side as it smashed into the sand where I had been standing. Above me, Mickey was holding onto the neck of the remaining Kurt Zisa and riding it like he was at some kind of crazy rodeo. The Heartless shook side to side and smashed its arms to the ground in hopes to dislodge the mouse. Somehow I noticed that Mickey no longer held his Keyblade.

I ran forward and leaped towards the torso of the Heartless. In a flash there was one of the six arms blocking my way. I used my wing to propel myself over the flashing blade and then cut out with Masamune, severing the flailing arm. It fell off to the ground, still holding the massive crescent sword.

I felt another arm connect with my back and send me falling quickly toward the sand. Masamune flew from my grip and landed far away. I righted myself quickly and landed softly on my feet. I looked up and then leapt backwards in a somersault to avoid the approaching foot. I landed near the severed arm.

"Help me!" cried Mickey.

My mind was racing. I grabbed the arm and threw it to the side. I quickly grabbed the enormous crescent blade and picked it up from the ground. It took both hands to get a solid purchase on the handle and I even stumbled slightly under the weight of it. Adjusting myself, I planted my feet and leapt towards Kurt Zisa. I jumped so that I turned slowly in my approach. When I was close enough, I used my wing to propel myself into a faster spin and brought the crescent blade across the abdomen of the Heartless.

The creature was shopped in half at the middle. It stopped moving as it slid apart and fell into the sand. Mickey made a small jump and landed effortlessly in front of me. The parts of the final Kurt Zisa burst into smoke and vanished. I wiped sweat and sand from my face and then turned to look at King Mickey.

"Thank you for your help."

The king looked up at me and smiled again. "No problem!"

"So…" I hesitated again. "Why did you really help me? It wasn't just to help even the odds was it?"

Mickey laughed a merry little laugh and then held out his hand. His Keyblade materialized in his palm and he twirled it around a little bit. "Why are you suspicious of people who help you? There's no real need for it. I helped you beat those Heartless. Isn't that what really matters?"

"I suppose…but is it so wrong to wonder why?"

"Of course not." Mickey sighed and sat down. "Ok…so listen closely. I can't say all that much in my current condition. There are people who want you dead. There are people who want you out of the way. There are people that need you alive and well. I'm part of the latter." He began to draw absently in the sand with his Keyblade. "For whatever reason you chose, you came over to the side of good. As a result, your destiny got all switched around. Fate had to resort to a little 'Plan B' of sorts. Don't ask me how I know all this. I can't tell you. In the end it comes down to a bunch of higher powers arguing over which of the several destinies you should eventually lead into."

I scowled slightly and said angrily, "Does that mean I have no choice in the matter?"

"That's not the case at all. There aren't really higher powers guiding you to some ultimate fate, just you carving your own path and other people recording it. Those recorders of fate happen to have laid out a path for you already, sort of a path of least resistance. If you follow that, you really have no choice in the matter. But you decided not to do that at all. As a result, you have the higher powers in an uproar."

"How will that affect me?"

"Surprisingly, not all that much. There are a lot more important things going down that they need to keep track of. You feed into these things, but you are not by any means the main character in this chapter of history." He erased his picture in the sand and then smiled at me. "Sort of a bummer, eh?"

Taken aback at the anticlimactic ending to his speech, I just nodded slightly. Mickey widened his smile and gave a little bow to me.

"Sorry to be thrusting this all upon you but I thought you deserved to know."

"Yes…I suppose. Thank you."

"So I guess you should be getting back to Hollow Bastion to help Riku and Sora right?"

I blanched. The intensity of the fight and the strangeness of meeting King Mickey had made me forget my purpose entirely. My tongue tangled on itself and I sputtered some inane phrase out. Mickey let out a small laugh.

"Calm down for a minute, ok? Look, don't go through the Nexus right now, take my Gummi ship. It's got warping capabilities so it should take you about the same amount of time." I nodded frantically and Mickey snapped his fingers together. A large golden Gummi ship fell from the sky and landed with a crash into the sand. Mickey smiled again and said, "The configuration is all set up, just press the red button once you get inside."

I gave a hasty thank you and dashed toward the ship as fast as I could. As I reached the ramp leading inside I heard Mickey shout something from behind me.

"Hey Sephiroth!" I turned around in the doorway. "There are powers at work greater than you," Mickey snapped his fingers and the door began to close slowly. Before the mouse's head disappeared from view he shouted one last thing. "But try and remember that at least a few are on your side."

The door shut and I rushed over to the control panel. In the center was a large red button. I paused to catch my breath and pushed down on it. The effect was instantaneous. The window of the ship blinked dark and then the water falls of Hollow Bastion loomed in front of me. In a hurry I kicked the door out and walked onto the stone platform. With the exception of the crashing waters, the whole place was dead silent.

I focused my mind and felt myself warp into the library. There were noises coming from the entrance hall. I walked quickly to the second floor entrance and pushed the door open quietly. Below me were sounds of an intense battle. I walked quietly to the edge of the second floor and leaned over the railing.

Riku leapt out of the way of Sora's key and then darted in, flicking his own blade close to the Keybearer's chest. Before he connected, Goofy darted in and deflected the advancing blade. Leaping from behind Sora, Donald launched a surprise attack and blew a ball of fire into Riku's chest. The fireball thrust Riku across the hall, landing him in the fountain with a crash. As he struggled to free himself, Sora charged forward. Once Riku got his footing, Sora made a feint to the left that Riku fell for and then twirled around and hit Riku in the side with the non-lethal side of the Keyblade.

Riku coughed up blood and was sent sprawling across the floor. Panting heavily he got up. He looked venomously from Sora to the other two in his company. Silently, he wiped a trickle of crimson from his chin and then dashed up the stairs and out of the door at the top.

Sora solemnly put away his Keyblade and sighed. Out of a corner of the room, a large beast with a purple cape came lumbering into the center of the hall. They both looked to where Riku had just exited and then the beast said quietly, "So, your heart won this battle."

I smiled slightly at the ridiculousness of that statement and then teleported swiftly into the hallway where Riku had fled to. The door at the end of it shut as I materialized. Drops of blood littered the hallway. I began to run slowly after Riku. As I opened the door into the next room, Masmune quivered in excitement. I dove through the doorway and saw a brief flash of red and bright yellow as I tucked and rolled to my feet.

I drew Masamune and deflected four flying needles. They sprayed off in separate directions. Each one made my arms tingle with electricity. Spinning quickly I raised Masamune and blocked a downward strike from a large tomahawk. Using my strength, I knocked it away where it embedded itself into one of the stone pillars.

"Hmph. Not bad," exclaimed an amused Axel. He jumped forward and struck out with two spiked rings. The first one caught on Masamune while the second, aimed for my chest, stopped as I grabbed Axel's wrist with my free hand. Using his own momentum against him I twisted his wrist and flung him over my shoulder down the hall. As he flew he suddenly crashed into an invisible wall.

"Dammit Axel! The barrier is not made to be touched!" Zexion screamed in frustration.

Axel steadied himself and stood up, shaking his head. "Mind your own business oh master of illusion."

A yellow and black blur darted toward me and spun quickly. I managed to barely avoid the first two swipes. My attacker was a young girl with odd hair. In her hand she held bright yellow needles. Shut thrust in, dangerously close to my face and then danced nimbly away as I aimed a kick toward her legs.

"Larxene! Duck!" Shouted Lexaeus. The nimble girl dropped to the ground. Over her head came the large tomahawk, spinning around and over itself. Off balanced by the girls previous attacks, I just managed to avoid the flying object. It ricochet off the wall and rebounded back into Lexaeus' waiting hands.

Axel and Larxene both dashed toward me from opposite directions. I made a wide cut with Masamune that they both avoided and then raised my palm into the air. Larxene pulled back her fist, needles held between her fingers. Axel twirled his spiky rings around deftly and prepared to cut in with them

"Time to die." I said quietly.

Three pillars of flame burst up around me and Larxene screamed. She was carried up with the flames and crashed into the top of a large pillar. Her needles fell the floor and she went unconscious. Lexaeus ran to her and picked her up. Through the flames I heard footsteps and suddenly, Axel appeared in front of me.

"Pretty fancy," he said with a slight smirk. His fist found its way into my gut and then his foot unfurled and caught me in the chest. With the three pillars of fire still blazing I was hurled from them to come crashing into the stone wall.

"Zexion!" How much time we need now!" Lexaeus yelled to the silver haired man.

"Just a moment, I think Ansem is almost done."

"In that case I'm leaving and taking Larxene with me, she needs medical treatement. Axel! Think you can hold your own for a bit?"

Axel hopped from one foot to the other and held his finger out in a pantomime of a gun. He pulled it back quickly and then blew on it. "Don't you be worrying about me now ya hear? Get going, I got this covered."

I struggled to my feet and eyed Axel suspiciously. Behind him, Lexaeus and Larxene disappeared. "How is it that you weren't fazed by the fire?"

Axel raised his middle finger and a small spout of fire came out of it. "I have power over all things flammable, that's how."

I grimaced and then darted forward again. Axel ducked under my first slash and then attempted to come up under me with an uppercut. I danced to the side and brought me heel up and then back down towards him. He raised his arm and deflected the attack, sending me of balance. I stumbled to the side and whipped out Masamune in defense.

Axel howled in pain and jumped back to Zexion. There was a deep gash in his right arm which hung limply at his side. "Dammit…Zexion are we done here?"

Zexion furrowed his brow and then said, "Yes. We can go."

Axel smiled through his grimace of pain and then gave me a small salute. "Well…I'll be seeing you then." The two men vanished silently into the Nexus.

The area directly behind where Zexion had been standing, shimmered slightly and rippled. Gradually it seemed to melt away to reveal the same hallway with different occupants. Riku stood by the doorway leading out the opposite side. He looked down at his hands and smiled crazily. In front of him was a large brown cloak.

Riku tilted his head back and laughed loudly. The deep bass of the laugh did not fit his teenage figure. He laughed for quite some time and then finally turned to face me. His face drooped in what appeared to be disappointment.

"How did you get here?" Riku's voice sounded different, older and crueler almost.

"I took a Gummi ship."

Riku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Odd…I had expected the Kurt Zisa to keep you longer."

"What?" Something inside me grew cold. "What…do you mean by that?"

"Hm?" Riku looked amused. "You haven't figured it out? I really had expected more of you Sephiroth." Riku spread his arms wide and grinned wolfishly. "You're too late my boy. I have already succeeded."

"Wait…you…"

"I am Ansem." Riku tilted his head back and laughed again. "It seems you are too late again."

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I'm not sure I like the last sentence of this chapter so much…not much zing to it if you ask me. But…no matter. Erm…I know that Seph and Mick killed all the Kurt Zisa. My only explanation for this is that…there are 4 of them? Maybe? USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

Anyway…thank you's go out to Prinsessa Garnet and xsaturnine for reviewing so quickly. I'd also like to say sorry to any reviewers who it seems like I'm ignoring because I obsess over xsaturnine so often. I love you all very much. Thank you for your patronage. Also sorry to xsaturnine but I will have to tone down the favoritism to be more fair to others. One last apology goes out to Prinsessa Garnet...I'm sorry about adding Mickey in here...I know you asked me to keep it Square related...but I couldn't help myself.

Ok…something that strikes me as odd. I got a couple new people who put Shadow Feather on their favorite's list…but gave no reviews of it? Look…I dunno if its just that im a newbie to but that seems odd. So…Chibi Milk, Lady Ravenstar19, and Rain Raider, if you guys like the fic so much and would like it to continue, appreciation and reviews help to further the creative process. Not that I would ever stop this fic because I felt under appreciated. I need to finish this thing otherwise it will haunt me forever.

Due to the fact that I will most likely not have a new chapter out by Monday…HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY! I won't be dressing up but I will die my hair silver for the festivities…I think I have nearly Kadaj length hair by now so I guess that's who I'll be. Sorry if it sounds like I'm half-assing my way through the holiday…but it's the best I could do on short notice.

For anyone who took the three point challenge issued in the last chapter...if you figured out where "apologate" comes from, put that information in your review. I'll reveal where it comes from in my next update. After that, the contest is null and there will be no points for anyone!