Ties that Bind and Tear Apart and the general overall concept of Ties that Bind and Tear Apart are completely copyright Orin Drake 2005, as are the characters Kyrie Almasy Leonhart Kinneas (maybe Loire is in there somewhere..?), Rodger Kinneas and John Sparda. The name/idea of Sparda and the weapons Ebony and Ivory are copyright Capcom. The names of Griever, Vincent Valentine, Cloud Strife, Squall Leonhart, Seifer Almasy, Rinoa Heartily, Quistis Trepe, Laguna Loire and probably a million other things I'm forgetting are copyright Squaresoft. Riku, Sora, Traverse Town, Leon, the Heartless, Ansem, the Unknowns and a million others are copyright Square and probably Disney... and whatever else I've forgotten. I'm not making money from this, so what the hell are you worried about?
Background: Same Kyrie and same universe as, in order, deep breath The Sins of Two Fathers, Retribution Nor Redemption, Descendants of the Mundane, and Fool's Journey. I suppose this story specifically came from Fool's Journey (and Make 'em Smile, and This Mess... but nevermind), in one sense... but really, it was spawned by a theoretical conversation by a friend one late, late night. (And I still hate you. grin) It's set a few months after Fool's Journey, by the way.
Possible WARNINGS: You better believe this will likely contain a lot of foul language, "possible" weird sexual situations, relationships that are generally considered not part of the mainstream, plenty of violence, and a hell of a lot of screwing with the heads of readers and characters alike. If you've read anything of mine before, you probably know what to expect. It's gonna get dirty in here. Also keep in mind that this was thought up and written well before any plot detail on Kingdom Hearts 2 came out, so... yeah.
GREAT BIG STORY-RELATED NOTE: A lot of of this story was "planned" (as much as I can plan anything with Kyrie) well before Kingdom Hearts 2 came out. At this point, I've almost completely spoiled myself as to plot points of the game (yay spoilers!)... but I'm rather planning to stay with the original direction this story was going in, in the first place. Therefore, there will be references to Kingdom Hearts 2, but... generally don't worry about me spoiling anything for you. I guess that makes this AU. Dammit.

Ties that Bind and Tear Apart
Chapter 8
By Orin Drake

A rare uncomfortable silence encompassed the room. Kyrie found herself unable to make eye contact as she searched for a reason, for an answer to why she'd known Rufus' name, let alone details... That's what got to her. Just a name, or even the fact that he had a big cat as a pet, wouldn't have bothered her half as much as...
She shook her head, but the image wouldn't leave. A young blonde in a white suit, standing on what could only be Shin-Ra grounds... she could see him when she closed her eyes, his smirk. The way he flipped his hair back with an arrogant twinkle in his eye. She could even hear his voice at the very vague border of her senses.
There was no way she should know any of that. No explanation. Even that short time of seeing Sephiroth's memory hadn't yielded a thing like that...
Vincent saw her reaching frantically for an answer. He wanted to offer help, a comfort of some kind... but he was unable. It had thrown him just as much as it had her... if not more. Problem being... he was finding small bits of his own memory returning due to her words... and he wasn't sure he liked it.
"We should be going home." She murmured, her voice barely audible. She might not understand what was going on... but she knew enough about Vincent's silence. She didn't give him so much as a chance to respond; turning, she hit the unlock quickly with her thumb and fled. Maybe it was not a retreat so much as an attempt to save them both memories better off left behind--but she was in no frame of mind to figure it out.
He had every intention of stopping her, calling after or following... but he didn't. He couldn't. Fist clenched helplessly at his side, he let her go.

She wasn't surprised to find John and Rodger in the same abandoned office she'd left them in. In any other circumstance, they'd have been skipping off with plenty of entertainment to be had at everyone else's expense; but the normal circumstances did not apply.
Maybe they could sense her self-imposed numbness the moment she walked in the door--and maybe that was why they didn't immediately rush to greet her. "He doesn't know, either." She announced, wincing internally at how... hollow her tone suddenly seemed. It wasn't that big of a deal... was it?
That was not something her husband could ignore. "You okay, Ky?"
"Yeah. Yeah, sure. Considering." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't even a half-truth. She felt a little too lost in confusion to give much thought to trying to hide anything, firstly.
John opened his mouth to make a slightly less than cordial demand for an answer--until Rodger bolted past him with a glance that effectively silenced the half-devil. Whatever this was, she'd tell them when she could. They really had to believe that. The brunette stepped up to his wife and gave her shoulders a casual squeeze. "What now?"
And then it hit her, what would make her feel better. "I thought I told you two to get some food, dammit."

Past lunch time and still without anyone to give him an excuse to leave his shop, Cloud gave a bored mumble to the back wall he'd just rearranged for the change in season. His ringing cell was a particular blessing, especially with Vincent's name on the caller ID screen. That one never failed to be entertaining. "Everyone is late." He greeted, already heading to the front to temporarily close up.
"There is a reason." Vincent assured quietly. "I believe you could..." He trailed off for lack of exactly what he was asking. "I think you should talk to her and try to find out what's going on."
The other participant in the conversation very nearly pulled the phone away from his ear to stare at it. Clearly there was no doubt who the "her" was--it was practically Kyrie's official code name. "Why didn't you talk to her?"
"I... I couldn't... I didn't want to..." A sigh. "I don't know, Cloud."
The blonde was on the other end of the phone in shock. Vincent never stammered... he never paused without meaning to. This was... odd. Odd even before frightening. "What do you think I can do about this..?"
It was a decent question; one he'd been wrestling with himself for the minutes before finally giving in and calling. "I'm not sure. But I believe... you would be of more help to her than I would."
"I'll come up with something, then." He promised. Vincent hung up promptly... but he found his own hand shaking a little as he flipped his phone shut. Something... something very bad was happening.

They ventured in silence toward the station--but not with the intent of catching a train. That seemed the furthest thing from Kyrie's mind as she gestured toward one of the smaller food vendors, one with most excellent Galbadian sandwiches and pastries for a much better deal than one could get in Galbadia... at least, that's what the kind older gentleman behind the counter always told them.
Upon finding an out-of-the-way bench upon which to try and fill their already heavy stomachs, there was again a stretch of silence. Neither boy questioned why she didn't quite seem to want to go back to the house right away. Neither did Kyrie herself, really. It just... wasn't the direction she felt that she wanted to go in. For once, a speechless, nearly thoughtless moment seemed most appropriate.
Even Kyrie had to admit, however... it didn't feel quite right. They were never that sort of silent with one another... least of all her. Something beyond her understanding had caused a rift; not between herself and Vincent, but between herself and... everything else.
She was not hungry. She wasn't the least bit interested in food. But she didn't know when her body would next need the store of energy. Even though her Materia felt fine, her body rested... the very idea of what was illusion and what was reality wasn't one she wanted to think on.
It didn't matter. One sitting at each side, her sentinels guarded her instinctually. Caring nothing for who might be gawking into the shadows, they found themselves each with an arm around her, waiting. Waiting for... whatever they were supposed to be waiting for.

"I came up with a solution." Cloud announced, stepping inside Vincent's office uninvited.
At least that raised the former Turk's spirits a bit... not that he'd admit so. The bright blue Mako eyes held more devious mirth than concern. "And that would be..?"
"I'll take her out on my new bike." He announced, somewhat proud of himself.
There was a long, long pause from the raven-haired man. "And why, exactly, are you so willing to risk her life on that... thing?"
He huffed humorously with Vincent's apparent insistence that his life was less important and therefore not worth worrying about. "She hasn't gotten to ride it yet." He hadn't realized just how amusing the statement was until after it had come out of his mouth. "Besides... she could use the chance to forget for a little while."
It was the unspoken portion that made the man react, not bothering at all to hide his responding grin. He knew Cloud better than that; he was far from a perfect gentleman, but he was trusted enough. Besides... if push came to shove, Vincent always had blackmail. "Be careful." He gave his permission to the insane notion. Truth be told... it wasn't such a bad idea.

There was a collective breath held as the Jet they normally took on the way back to the house pulled into the station... and by then a little of Kyrie's weighted stomach had abated. "Something tells me I shouldn't leave yet." Was all she offered. It was all she knew, and even then... even then, the thought of going back into that house, knowing how easily Riku could find her...
But that wasn't fair. Not really. He'd asked for her help, and she'd accepted. Then... what had happened afterward? Certainly they hadn't actually accomplished... anything. That was the maddening part... something had happened before they'd gotten the chance to... to make anything...
And then John caught unmistakable spikes of blonde hair in the corner of his eye. Granted Cloud was walking from the other end of the station and it would take a moment to reach them, but that was all the more reason to act fast. Yes, bad shit was going on. And yes, questions needed answers before they became maddening... but they were back. And that crazy blonde was still in on Kyrie's "big birthday celebration". The one that wasn't happening, that they absolutely were not planning for.
Rodger felt the almost imperceptible tap on his forearm, immediately getting the indication that he shouldn't make a big deal out of looking in the direction John seemed as if he were trying to avoid. He couldn't see anything at first, not having the half-devil's incredible vision--but then Cloud was pretty hard to miss as he passed a number of people and came into the open. Just as he was about to try and come up with a plan to divert his wife's attention, John seemed keen to play the asshole.
"Would you go get me a drink?" he asked Kyrie in the sweetest possible voice, leaning up against her. "Please?"
Obviously... something was up. Not that she wasn't completely willing to play along to take her mind off of things. "Your legs broken there, devil-boy?"
"Not yet." He continued to use his sweet voice, rubbing up against her like a cat and earning a shaking head from Rodger.
"They will be." She promised teasingly.
"But after you get me a drink?" John had just about mastered those great big blue puppy dog eyes...
"Fine." Kyrie sighed. "Just... stop doing that. It's creepy. What do you want?"
Creepy, huh? Well, just for that. "Lemonade." The innocence fell into a grin.
She stared blankly at him for several seconds. "You do realize that's about five trains down from us right now."
"It's not that far." He went right back into his innocent sweetness routine, almost making himself choke.
"You bastard." She accused, unable to help an amused smirk. Turning to Rodger, she shrugged. "And I suppose you want something on the other side of the station?"
"Nah." He dismissed lightly. "Not until you get back. Then I'll have thought of what you should have gotten me."
With a light smack to the back of both of her boys' heads, she got up and began walking. Yeah, sure. Like it was any secret Cloud was present. She could feel it when he was in the same roo--
That was when she forced her thought process to stop. If she went any further, if she'd allowed her brain to finish, she'd have had to admit to... too much. Too much of the past, too many memories. And too many Jenova cells. Lemonade. The world could be lemonade for a while.

Cloud watched Kyrie walk off long before he'd gotten over to the pair looking at him with mildly amused expressions. He didn't really require an explanation for... well, anything. Not anymore. He thought he might as well come right out with the idea. "Would you two mind if I borrowed her for a couple of hours?"
The boys looked at each other with an astounding supply of unspoken jokes. John was lucky enough to have been the one to compose himself first; enough to respond, anyway. "Depends on how she's coming back."
Rodger gave him an elbow jab, chuckling darkly. "Hey, if it's a couple of hours."
Cloud smirked. "I thought it might be a good time to drop my birthday gift on her."
Ah. The brunette nodded thoughtfully. Not a bad idea. "Hopefully it'll fit, then."

Kyrie returned far earlier than expected with a lemonade in each hand--just in case. Coming upon the three so obviously "not talking about her", she tried her best not to pay any attention. Wordlessly handing off John's requested beverage (to which she got the super-sweet grin again) and then the same to Rodger if only to keep him on the same sugar level so as not to give either one of them an advantage over the other in terms of hyperness, she then turned to Cloud. In a kind of flat sarcasm only she seemed capable of, she remarked, "Had I only known you were coming, I'd have gotten you one, too."
He shook his head, trying not to let his lips betray his amusement. "Would you like to step out for a little while?"
The shock of the question gave her a mild pause--but her natural tendency to tease him overcame it quickly. "With who?"
His eyes narrowed in humor. "With an attractive blonde."
"Oh, hell, sure! Where?" she made a distinct show of looking around like an over-excited puppy for said blonde.
"Just follow me, alright?" he gave up with a smile and a sigh.
She gave a glance back to Rodger and John, as if to ask if that was alright... or, more, if she would be safe and not suddenly pounced with too-early birthday bullshit. The two of them gave her smiles and waves... which told her only that it was alright, but nothing in the way of what awful surprises to expect. "Catch you two soon, then." She promised, a little more sincerely than usual. "I'm gonna get me a hot blonde... somewhere."
Cloud's overdramatic sigh almost echoed off the high ceiling. That's how she knew everything was okay.

After a few minutes of walking down a hallway that even she didn't think she'd used before, she couldn't keep the curiosity to herself. "So... where would you happen to be leading me?"
"Just... out, for a little while." He posed, false innocence continuing.
She was more than willing to play along. At least she knew she was assured to be entertained. Of course, that didn't mean she had to be quiet about it. "There are no poles or table dances involved, right?"
He rolled his eyes, actually trying not to laugh at the completely unexpected question. "Fine. How about a ride on that motorcycle I found parked in the hallway, outside my door a few months ago?"
...Ooooooohhhh. That was certainly beyond her expectations. "Really?"
He couldn't help a chuckle at what sounded like contained excitement. Half of his mission--to draw her out of her thoughts and allow her to relax for the barest moment--was already successful. "Well, you did buy it for me. I though you might appreciate a little run out in the plains."
"Hyne would I." She admitted instantly. "I don't think I have quite the appropriate wardrobe, however..." she trailed off more due to his change in expression than an actual end to her thoughts. What did that satisfied smirk mean..?
"I came into possession of a leather ensemble that may fit." He announced as innocently as he could.
Oh, that... wonderful bastard. Although... "Yeah, but... who wore it before me and why?"
That was a good question to ask. "Alright, fine. Happy Birthday." He relented, assuring her that it wasn't a second-hand piece of clothing.
They walked on, Kyrie finding herself extremely grateful... for a number of reasons. Well, hey. Leathers. She could give John a run for his money. The thought barely allowed her to control a dark string of laughter just before Cloud came to a halt in front of what looked to be the last office door before an exit.
"It's in there." He informed her. "Get changed and we'll go."
She threw him an all too cocky (not to mention sloppy) salute, then darted into the office without a word. Oh hell yes.
The blonde only shook his head. Never in his life did he think he would be saluted. Only Kyrie had that audacity... Kyrie and Zack.
That thought left him numb and wide-eyed for quite a bit longer than he cared to understand. It's not as if he hadn't thought them similar in pure, brutal cockiness from time to time, but... it was... different, this time. It was in trying to figure out how it felt different that he got caught, unable to make the sense necessary to understand... anything.
He became instantly grateful when Kyrie emerged from the office; the first reason being that he got what was sure to be an entertaining interruption to his thought process. The second being... more unexpected. He never could say that he'd considered her a sexual object. Not that he didn't see her attraction, but... it was never like that. In that leather number, though... he knew at least someone else would be unable to deny appreciation.
She seemed to be thinking the exact same thing with the sparkling (and somewhat diabolical) expression on her face. The office was another unused, generally unfurnished room... except for the full-length mirror, which she suspected Cloud to have likely put there himself if only for the little present unveiling. If anything would wipe that dark look of bored superiority off of Vincent's face, it was the black leather ensemble she'd gratefully received. Not that the other males in her life wouldn't appreciate it as well... not that she didn't appreciate it. The leather jeans were surprisingly soft, hugging her legs but not cutting off circulation, allowing her to quite easily secure Eleison's sheath to her thigh. The jacket was her favorite part, though--form-fitting, one zip up the front, and lots of buckles. She must have inherited Squall's unspoken adoration for buckles. And, very tastefully, a small red Bloodcross rested on the right shoulder. "This is very kick-ass, Cloud."
Now there was a proper thank you. "I'm glad you approve."

There was definitely a different feeling on the back of an incredibly fast bike than there was sitting on a train and watching the landscape flash by. Even the Jet's superior speed paled; though that was likely because one couldn't feel the wind threatening to rip one's face apart if a slightly higher speed were reached.
Not that she could find it in herself to complain. The experience of riding across the somewhat barren landscape of the Esthar continent was a miraculous and joyful thing. She was also quite glad that Cloud obviously knew how to handle the machine; as much as he enjoyed feeling her arms tense around him when he made jumps, quick changes in direction and skidding stops, he never actually scared her or made it difficult to hold on--something she was quite glad about.
It was a damned good thrill for him, too. He hadn't had a decent bike in... well, centuries, he supposed. (Give or take, due to memory.) He finally stopped the roaring beast in the shade of a small cliffside to take a moment's break from dust and engine noise, liking the sound of it powering down almost as much as he enjoyed the smooth starting growl. "This was a very good gift." He called behind him, ears taking their sweet time to adjust to the sudden silence.
"Yes, it was." She agreed, wondering if she'd ever get used to stillness again. That, and whether or not it was safe to finally untangle her hands from around his waist. "One good turn and all that."
He laughed, recalling exactly why he was pretty certain he'd received such a gift in the first place: that red collar John never seemed to be without. Exactly what had transpired between that first meeting and taking note of how reserved the boy was, and several days later when he walked around like he seemed to own the place... well, he didn't need to know. But it involved that collar for certain. He waited until she withdrew her hands, able to sit back and enjoy the solid earth beneath for a few moments, before he dropped the kickstand and dismounted.
There was nowhere to go. There was no one watching. It was only them, their friendship... and his other "mission". He unceremoniously sat on the dusty ground in the shade, leaning up against the bike to stare out at the landscape. To see Esthar so far away was actually a little... comforting. It reminded him of the rest of the world without leading him into the panic of having to save it. He started speaking without really knowing what he was going to say. "I'm not sure exactly where Midgar used to be... but it looked a lot better from a distance. Not that that's saying much."
Midgar... She recognized the name from memories not of her own. As she climbed off the bike and sat beside him, flashes of a dark, desolate, filthy city came to mind; completely opposed to the bright and clean futuristic visage of Esthar.
He watched her carefully from the corner of his eye as she looked out over the landscape. Slightly haunted was the only way he could have described her eyes... but then, they'd always been that way. It almost made him decide not to go through with Vincent's request to discover what was wrong.
She knew, though. She'd known the whole time; this wasn't just a ride for fun. "What do you want to know?"
Straight to the heart of the matter, as usual. It didn't come as entirely unexpected, to put it lightly--something that made his lips quirk the slightest bit. "I don't know what to ask." He admitted. Unmasked honesty only deserved more of the same.
"Neither do I." She bit back a sigh at the extreme amount of knowledge she seemed to lack. About anything. Everything. Always.
He turned slightly, watching even more closely. "What are you searching for?" he tried another tactic.
Her smile was necessarily harsh... bitter, maybe... but it was not to last. "I'd like to say peace of mind... but I'm not sure about that."
"Good answer." He relented.
She chuckled at his response, somehow feeling incredibly glad to be alone with him, out in the middle of nowhere. "Where are those carefree days, huh?"
It was gentle and sing-song, the way she'd asked... but he was pretty sure he knew better. He could point out those "carefree days" for himself; with a decent idea of similar experiences involved.
Fifteen... when all was different and innocent. For all of them... but mostly for the two of them. Yes, life was a little lonely... closed off... but still innocent. Not being part of... all this shit...
It wasn't hard at all to tell that she was reigning her emotions in. Probably thinking the same thing he was... maybe worse. He'd spent a lot of time simply trying to keep her as a casual acquaintance, at arm's length... but, having been around her for so long, he'd taken a liking to her.
And then... he'd noticed things. Parallel things. Resemblances. Not exact, of course, but... close enough. The essence of these things were the same. She was a lot stronger than he'd been... but she'd been through quite a bit more in some senses, with her mind... somewhat in tact. Enough.
She had a bit of Tifa's essence in her, too. Though Tifa could grate on nerves when her will was strong, Kyrie cut straight through the nerves and into the bone. Never saw her coming. That much was amusing; Tifa made a show of making absolutely certain everyone saw her coming. They just didn't happen to know she was a thousand times more powerful than she looked. Kyrie bothered with very little show, managing an ample amount of power.
Vincent wasn't the only one to have noticed that she had a Turk's audacity to her, either. A little more conscience, perhaps, but nothing was to stand in her way. It was simply not to be tolerated.
Cloud shook his head, realizing he hadn't responded--too lost in his own mind as used to be the case far too often. At least he'd gotten a little better about it. "Was being oblivious better than knowing too much?" he wondered out loud... immediately unsure of whether or not he was just hurting the situation.
What was it like, she wondered... when almost everything you've ever known and loved was gone? She didn't want an answer, though. And she sure as hell didn't wish to ask. She decided she liked his question a lot better. "I can honestly say that I don't know." She began, unconsciously pulling her arms up and around her torso with what seemed to be a change in temperature. "What about knowing your own thoughts and intentions but not letting anyone else in on it?"
He really couldn't help but feel a little... shut out all of a sudden. Maybe she hadn't meant it that way... in fact, it was highly unlikely she'd meant to shove and seemingly keep him away like that, but... hm. It reminded him of another he just happened to still see every day. And he certainly had never stopped trying to crack that bastard's shell... He grinned with a little bit of Zack still haunting his thoughts--he'd never have let an opportunity to find out far too much about anything go to waste. "Why keep it so close? Why not spread the burden on the willing so it's not so much weight?"
"You all talk behind my back a lot more often than I'd assumed." She teased... for lack of a desire to give him a straight answer.
"Ky, please." His tone changed. It wasn't begging... and maybe it wasn't quite asking... but it was soft and too heartfelt to ignore. "Tell me what I can do to help you. There has to be something."
She did his request proper justice by honestly taking a long moment to think about it. The answer formed without her having to spend time calling upon it. "I think... what I need... are memories."
The moment before the answer had given up no more satisfying information than the moment after... but then, maybe... "Reaching for the past?"
It was hard to say, really. The term wasn't quite right, but... she didn't have a better one. "Something like that."
"Specifics?"
"Not... not to me, no. More like... whatever seems important enough to talk about. I think." She shook her head, frustrated by her own words. "I don't know. I don't know anything."
That, too, reminded him of Zack... only his old friend used to say it in a manner that was both maddening and made it impossible not to grin back at him. He sighed quietly, mostly to himself. "I'm lost in situations like this."
"Me, too." She seemed to think for a bit on serious matters... right up until a sarcastic smile etched itself onto her features. "But then, I think I'm generally pretty lost."
"Price of living..." Cloud responded quietly, trying to remember where he'd heard that. It was so long ago...
"They all fall away in the end, don't they..." Her voice became a whisper. "Even if you never got the chance to hold on in the first place..."
He could not leave the subject like that. Couldn't let her believe it was all so hopeless... even if he knew what she was talking about. Even if things with Zack and Sephiroth hadn't... worked out... "It wasn't... their fault." He admitted. "They never knew how I felt. I didn't even know." He sighed, shaking his head. "If I'd only... said something..."
There was a tragic romanticism there, to be sure. Regret, too... so much regret... She closed her eyes against the onslaught of it--for another short moment her arms felt cold and she wrapped them tighter around herself in the slight breeze of the day. The thought hurt... the pain in his voice hurt, as well. "They've got to know now. In some respect, anyway."
He nodded, uncertain but hopeful. And then... he released the bigger bombshell. "I think, maybe... you'd want to go after more memories than mine."
Well, that was intriguing. There was only one person he could mean. "Vincent..?"
"He's got a lot of regrets that I really don't think you know about. I'm not even sure if I do." He looked away for a moment, wondering... but then he assumed she already knew what he was about to tell her. "He tries very hard not to let anyone know what he remembers."
She swallowed, suddenly more uncomfortable than she thought she should be. Was that why Vincent had behaved like a startled animal in the path of an oncoming train earlier..? Did she call out some of the memories he thought the rest of the world had no right to see? The sorrow that clutched at her was unexpected... but not unfamiliar. It felt like a... lost thing. Something that she didn't even know she had before she lost it. Certainly she knew better--there was time to delve into the ex-Turk's memories if only he'd let her in, but... the sorrow remained. Maybe it was to be expected, dealing with Cloud's bittersweet memories... She spoke without expecting to. "They're all... 'at peace'... and still..."
"Memory never rests." He responded quietly, knowing she'd understand. There was always the eternal question of "what if"... or the guilt... or that horrifying combination of the two, mixed with worsening nightmare images... He could only let himself be so much at peace with everything he'd ever done. Truth was, really... he didn't even remember all of the things he'd done. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. It would be nicer, that way.
She gave a mild nod, staring longingly at the city... and not trusting her voice. Overwhelming emotion poured from Sora's heart from what seemed to be a great distance... and she could do nothing but distantly experience those silent sobs of longing. For the island flashing at the edges of her vision... for home... for Riku... for peace. Peace and safety and stillness. There was no comfort she could offer a memory... didn't seem much she could do for a piece of heart she held that wasn't her own.
Specifics were unknown... and in that sense, maybe it was a mission failed. But... Cloud had discovered enough. When she was ready... she'd find what she needed. He had to believe she'd come to him if she needed to. "Come on." He invited as if he didn't absolutely know an extra weight had just settled on her shoulders. "Let's get back."

The ride back was mercifully long, spectacularly fast--and almost heart-stopping at moments. But that was pretty much everything she'd wanted out of it. Maybe not to forget, but to have a pleasant distraction... it was nice. And it struck her that Cloud was immensely kind for having done so much by so little effort. It was almost too bad that she'd already bought him a bike.
They finally skidded to an impressively short stop just outside one of the palace entrances in the back--one best known amongst employees directly under the president as the G.Q.L.R.A. Door, for "Get out Quick, Laguna's Rambling Again". The jumble of letters whispered and shouted back and forth as a joke was completely lost on new employees and interns... but not for long.
Regardless of having come to a definitively complete stop, Kyrie found her hands had decided it was in their best interest to continue to hold on. Cloud chuckled after a moment and helped her untangle her fingers--grasping her hand as she moved to dismount. He couldn't just... let her go. He couldn't leave her with so much... to deal with so much...
But she was already preparing herself to go back into battle. Obviously, things were not over. She had no doubt in her mind that at that very moment, Riku was seeking her out... and she would not run. The Keyblade was a new weapon that she hardly knew... but Sora knew it. She grasped his hand back in turn, giving it a mild squeeze. "Thanks, Cloud. I needed that."
He was glad that she was behind him, if only so she couldn't see he was smiling appreciatively. He couldn't very well outright tell her how much she reminded him of himself. Regardless, however... "Be careful."
"I will." She knew it to have been a stupid thing to say, but...
He shook his head, breaking the oncoming mood entirely. "If you would just... walk into Vincent's office, first thing..."
That raised red flags and eyebrows. "Not that I won't, of course... but, why do you insist on it now?"
Once again he was painfully glad that she couldn't see his expression. "I would like to see his reaction."
So would I. "Sure." She agreed. "But then I've got to change. I keep creaking in all this leather."

The unnecessary knock at Vincent's door was familiar; Cloud's knock, when he felt like trying to make himself a nuisance. Albeit a welcome nuisance. This game did require a move on his part, however. "Enter." What walked in... was certainly not Cloud.
Being told of the gift of leathers for Kyrie was one thing... but having been surprised by her (and them) in person was quite another. She'd never quite seen that expression on his face before, lips slightly apart and shaped in a tragically revealing "O". Yes... she could enjoy wielding that much power... It was certainly inviting more dirty tricks onto their battlefield. "Alive and in one piece." She informed him as innocently as possible.
Cloud was holding his breath in the doorway, desperately biting at his tongue. If he laughed, if he so much as cracked a smile or made a noise... it was all over.
"I can see that." Vincent seemed to have finally retrieved his voice, trying for annoyance at being interrupted.
"Just wanted to make sure no one got into trouble." She dismissed in an almost believable lie, wandering out as casually as ever.
It was a perfect performance. Cloud was one swift second from completing his own when his name was spoken softly--with all the meaning of an order from a god. Somehow he held himself back from sighing with defeat before turning back and stepping inside the office.
"Is that your doing?" the ex-Turk man feigned something that may have been meant to be indifference.
It took everything the blonde had in him not to grin like a maniac. "You didn't expect me to let her on a bike without protection..."
Another amused look passed between them. They really had been spending too much time together recently... "Was there a specific reason it looks like it's been tailor made to her body, specifically?" Vincent managed to be more and less vague at once.
"It was a birthday gift." He dodged, somewhat successfully.
That's all he needed to know. He supposed it really was that obvious... "Go back to your shop, Cloud."

Kyrie whistled to herself down the hallway, feeling absolutely no rush in finding the room with her old clothes. Yes, the damn outfit creaked and it drove her nuts, but... it still felt kinda nice. That, and she just couldn't get the expression on Vincent's face out of her head. It went so very many steps beyond merely amusing...
Ah. Should have known. Not that far down from Laguna's office rested a particular white-haired half-devil, in the middle of building a tower out of little paper cups in one of the coffee nooks. He was actually rather successful, too... though she hated to think of how many of the other coffee nooks he'd invaded to get quite so many cups. Kiros was going to have several caniptions.
John would have heard her coming earlier had he not been concentrating quite so hard on his astounding creation. As it was, though, he began to greet her before he turned. "Hey! I thought you were--fuck."
"I feel like I am, yes." She joked, spinning around to model the leathers. "Only now do I understand your obsession."
He... was... glad. Really glad. Cloud had done very well in his selection. He chuckled to himself with that thought, drawing a finger over the red leather collar. Of course, he'd had nothing to worry about. He was just about to give Rodger a shout when the brunette appeared around the corner of a connecting hallway, Kyrie definitely just out of sight. Oh, this would be sweet.
She took note of John's expression, watching the other hall--and got the gist immediately. Ah, wonderful. If she did a good job surprising her husband, maybe she'd skip the birthday gift for him that year. It was an amusing thought, if nothing else.
The surprise sure worked--he'd opened his mouth to ask something of John, but his eyes discovered a much better, more interesting focus as he skidded to a halt. "Whoah." He tried. Then, after several beats, he attempted conversation again. "Whoah."
"And here I thought it was just my birthday present." She turned again, slowly giving everyone a good look. "I don't suppose you two had anything to do with this perfect fit."
After another look at just how well the leather hugged every curve of her body without being restrictive... "Less than you might think." Rodger joked.
"Alright, the tightness is getting to me now. I need jeans." She announced. Taking a step to find them, however... resulted in the motion of the world.
That shift. That damn, dizzying marker that noted something had changed, was changing--
The dark embrace was not so scary, that time. It was far from comfortable, not a bit comforting, but... thinking back, it wasn't as if she hadn't known it would happen in a completely unexpected moment. Oh well... questioning Vincent was just going to have to wait, she supposed.

And then... it wasn't like before. Not at all. From darkness to... dimness? There was solid ground beneath her feet, though. Granted that she could barely see it even though she was sitting (Why sitting?) right on it, but... she was certainly in her body.
She just... didn't know where her body was. Exactly.
Fuck. This was not... a familiar place. Standing up with a silenced groan of tired muscles and overall frustration, she took a long, steady look around. At least it didn't seem to be populated... though she wasn't sure how good of a thing that was. No Heartless, yes... but no people. No buildings. Just a strange field of dark skies and dark ground beneath her.
Great. Fucking great. I'm alone.
--Wait. Actually... there was someone approaching. At least that's how it appeared; it looked like someone walking toward her. And while there was no light source to speak of, the closer it got to her, the more she could make out.
The figure approaching wore a long black coat like Riku, covering everything but black boots, black gloves, a head of brightest red hair that could only be rivaled by Cloud's impossible spikes... and a very devious expression on his face. It was nearly enough to knock her right back down on her ass, but for some reason it inspired her to be just a little too pissed to care. He was looking right at her, approaching with no great hurry, hands folded neatly behind him as he walked.
Yeah. Great. And she was just in the mood for company, too. She took an amazing chance by extending her hand, hoping very deeply that she could manage to once again call the Keyblade. Maybe that would scare him off--but as the pain sparked from her palm outward, as the light shone from the wound and formed that familiar and unfamiliar weapon while ripping the bandages that had been around the wound it had left before, the approaching stranger only looked more interested in her.
He halted, several yards away, merely watching for a long period of time. When he did speak, it was a voice of amusement. "So. You can hold the Keyblade."
Her eyes narrowed, both at his tone and his oddly bright grin. He didn't seem the type to be easily scared off. Unfortunately. "Yeah. Ain't that a kick in the crotch?"
The stranger chuckled almost pleasantly. "It is indeed." Behaving as if she were no threat at all, he began to circle her. Watching. Grinning. Nodding every once in a while.
Kyrie felt tension rise with anger. What the hell did the man think he was doing? They were watching one another closely... but she was not moving, while he continued to circle. What at last he was behind her, he made a great showing of staring directly at her leather-clad ass--and whistling.
Amusing as it may have been on any day when she wasn't pissed off and ready to tear anything in her path apart, she wasn't really feeling all that civil in that very moment. "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to treat a lady like that?" she tossed sarcastically, trying to gauge what kind of a fighter he was by attitude alone.
"You're no lady." His face still held that grin... but his voice held an absolute seriousness, as well.
"Granted." She countered, other hand reaching for her gunblade. Certainly he was measuring her up for attack... that was the only explanation. So, maybe she could turn the tables in her favor. "So who the fuck are you, anyway?"
He grinned with her question, certain that her curiosity was only halfway honest. "I'm one of the survivors of the Last Great Disaster... but nevermind that. You weren't told about that part. They both damned themselves."
A shiver moved through her body before she could gain control of it; she knew who he was referring to. Some bit of Sora recognized this figure... though she couldn't consciously gather a name or a purpose. Last Great Disaster..? Damned themselves..?
"You don't belong here." He announced, quietly.
The words surprised her as much as the cool, almost helpful tone of his voice. "I'd say the same thing about you."
His grin was cutting. "Indeed. Good instinct."
She returned the expression, keyblade ready in one hand... and her gunblade pulled in the other. "I've heard it all before. Let's go."
Her reaction seemed to satisfy him on some level, though his expression never changed. "Believe it or not, I'm not here to fight you. Not that I want to refuse. I'm sure it would be quite the experience."
Curiosity about the man had lead into complete frustration. She was not his plaything. "So you're still here because..?"
Only then did his expression change, the grin fading into something almost... sad. "The Dawn Walker lead you here. The Heartless who happens to have a heart... although it's not entirely his right now. But you needn't worry about that part--I'm simply looking for him."
He was a genuine puzzle, to put it all very blandly. Friend or foe, something told her that Riku would not have wanted her to be in contact with this man. "There's just little ol' me here, for now. That'll have to do."
"I guess it will." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully with a gloved hand, the grin almost instantly reappearing. "Shall I show you something, then?"
Well. What a question. Would it have really mattered how she responded, she wondered... "I'm still not sure of your part in all of this."
Once again, he somehow seemed thrilled with her response. "Tsk tsk. Isn't it enough to know we're intertwined in the same web of existence? Albeit completely separate strands."
That... was not helpful. At all. She saw very little choice, however... she was trapped there, she knew it. So did the grinning redhead. She swallowed, slowly placing Eleison back at her side... and even more slowly willing the Keyblade to disappear. That time, she could feel the blood oozing from her palm, glancing down at it without meaning to.
The stranger seemed to consider her wound for a moment, then shrugged it off as he turned and lead the way. Kyrie was left behind for only a moment, blinking stupidly. What did he know that he wasn't willing to let her in on..? No matter, she supposed. Given the choice to follow or get lost... she walked behind him.
It couldn't have been more than three steps later when the darkness around them began to... melt. It dripped and fell away into brilliant gold light--and then solid objects. She blinked against the sudden onslaught of light and form, surprised entirely by not being dizzy with the suddenness of it. She was in... what looked like the coliseum she'd met the "other" Cloud in. Well, that was certainly unexpected. She glanced at her "guide" to see him comfortably beside her, willing her onward with his eyes.
Turning back toward the inner circle of the battleground, she instantly found a familiar face across the way. "Hey, John!" Well, there was one down. Faster than she expected, even.
He sauntered on over in no rush. "Hey, Ky. Who's your friend?"
"Don't know, don't care." She didn't have to turn around to know the redhead was grinning viciously at her back. "You alone?"
"'Fraid so." He confirmed, glancing behind him one more time. He'd had the strangest feeling of being watched since he'd just "found" himself there moments ago... with the distinct feeling the redhead was not the source. "Well, I was."
Kyrie turned back to inquire-- "Hm." It seemed the mysterious asshole had decided to skip out and leave them to fend for themselves. Well. Not that she ultimately minded, she guessed... "I don't suppose you happen to know what the fuck is going on..."
"I was kinda hoping you did." John admitted, trying not to keep looking over his shoulder. There was definitely someone else here...
And he wasn't the only one who felt it. Glancing down at her hand, Kyrie made note of the dried blood on her palm... but no open wound. At least that was something...
--Not enough. Not nearly enough. She could taste it...
He descended. The bastard descended from the fucking sky--
Sephiroth.
And yet... not Sephiroth. The eyes were familiar enough to still her breath as they met her gaze--but there was too much of a difference... something much, much... worse... Too cold, too distant... too sane... When she finally had the sense about her to break eye contact, she was stricken entirely with that single, black, feathered wing on his back...
John immediately moved to grasp both of her shoulders to hold her back. "Whoah there, Ky." He tried to keep his good-natured sense of humor about him... but the strain was noticed in his voice. Even with his above normal strength, the fight she had in her, the dedication she had given to that single step forward before he had the presence of mind to stop her... was pretty damn incredible. Almost without understanding. He knew the basics of their history, but he also knew that this was not the same Sephiroth she knew.
What John failed to realize, was that that in itself was the very reason she was so desperately enraged. Pained. Maybe... afraid. That was not Sephiroth... but not in the same ways that Leon was not Squall. That had been... acceptable. Understandable. This, looking into those slitted, glowing Mako eyes that held hardly a touch of the insanity, the pain, the... passion that she'd been forced to realize... It wasn't right. Perhaps this image in front of her was a paler shade of the real thing, in her mind... but really, there was something deeper. This Sephiroth had embraced the Darkness... with a knowledge. With a choice. He didn't have the pain raging through him that the other had. That just kinda... pissed her off. He would never know the true pain of his counterpart.
And that wing... that single, black, feathered wing... that was the center of her rage. Why, exactly, was lost to her in the moment... but she was forced to understand somewhere deep down that maybe only the color itself was wrong.
But... John was right. There was no reason for her rage really. Just because she remembered something differently didn't mean... Well, enough. She passed a hand delicately over one of his that was holding her shoulders, and that was enough of a sign that she understood.
He let go, but stood beside her. This was not over, obviously--especially since the not-Sephiroth had begun to walk toward them with a look of sick amusement on his face. Well... he had his guns. He knew her nightmares, sometimes... knew the descriptions Rodger had given him of what her back looked like after Sephiroth had gotten done with her, how he talked about the time when the psycho tried to take her mind. It was all the rage he needed to pump adrenaline, should he need to.
Maybe it was not the commanding, fearsome presence of the Sephiroth... but John found his knees not quite as strong as he'd have liked them to be when the man towered above him, stopping only inches away from them both. He seemed to ignore Kyrie, obviously and purposefully--instead, reaching an elegant hand to the half-devil.
John did not so much as blink when the man's gloved hand swept almost delicately under his chin, along his jawline. Those dangerous, green cat eyes held maliciousness under the slow mask of an easy smirk. The only thing keeping the man from moving in for the kill was a sudden cold force against his lower region.
"One step closer and I'll blast you balls off." The boy promised, pressing Ebony even harder against the exact area he'd threatened. "Real" Sephiroth or no... he was not a man to be trusted.
The green glow increased as the eyes narrowed even more dangerously. "I could lay waste to all that you are, boy."
He'd faced worse demons than this. "Go ahead and fucking try." He dared, squeezing Ebony a little tighter.
There was a disapproving look over the man's face--and then his focus shifted. If the boy may well prove some entertainment, what of his companion?
She sensed the shift before she saw it--catching his wrist with a strength that rivaled his own before he could touch her. "I've done this before." She announced through gritted teeth, not even exactly sure what she was announcing... or from whose point of view. Sora had fought him before... but, in a way, so had she. "Disappear. Now."
"Such spirit..." he managed to yank his hand away, "But what have you against me?"
A sickening sweet tone... more sane than she'd have cared for it to have been. In fact... that's all his cold eyes shone back at her--utter sanity. He knew exactly what he was doing.
That was... so much worse... No matter; she backed up a step and called the Keyblade, hoping he'd see it to his disadvantage. She was certain she didn't hide the cringe as well as she'd wanted to, though... it hurt. Like it were being ripped from her body rather than willed into existence... and maybe that was more the truth.
Apparently, it was the wrong move to have made. Or, at least, it was the advantage being looked for. It happened all at once, simply far too quickly and under too much chaos to make sense of the motions. All Kyrie knew was a crashing, seething agony in her right shoulder--enough to make her forget the Keyblade, for it to disappear from her grasp and leave behind more oozing blood... though that didn't seem to be the only blood...
Only when the distinct, too-real feeling of a surprisingly cold, leather-clad palm rested against the bare flesh of her abdomen was she able to gather herself enough to snarl with anger, understanding what had just happened too quickly. The eerily not-quite-Sephiroth had used several kinds of magic in one quick burst, knocking John away and her flying into one of the pillars on the far side--only... she hadn't fallen to the ground.
That was where the pain screaming from her shoulder came in, apparently... she didn't have to look up to know she'd have seen half the Masamune jutting from the flesh. The blade was long and certainly strong enough to have pierced stone... and whatever little resistance her body had offered. Hanging there, mocked by vicious green eyes and the hand he'd so obviously slid under her new leather jacket to drive her rage further... She reached for her gunblade as he made to lean forward, but he was just too ready for the move when her reaction time was slowed by the pain. Only graceful ease and a harsh grasp took her wrist, pinning it against the pillar with his other hand.
"Careful, now." The beast whispered against her ear, very slowly drawing his touch upward. "You wouldn't want me to slip and--"
Her scream drowned out the rest of his words. She felt his palm against her lowest right rib press--then thrust. She heard the break and felt the splinters tearing into her flesh. Vision became white, all other senses tainted by breathless, shuddering pain.
Gunshots. Close, or she never would have heard them over the thunder of blood rushing in her ears. Splinters of broken ribs... that wasn't something she was exactly expecting, let alone used to. She didn't notice the hand dropping away from her, couldn't quite grasp the concept of reaching up to try and free herself of the blade holding her there, just yet...
How Rodger had found himself at the center of a coliseum was absolutely not important. Instinct called for him to raise his gun long before the sight that made his throat dry but his blood boil--and his finger was on the trigger even before the aim was true. He shot that dark wing hovering over her, getting a number of satisfying spurts of blood and blown-apart feathers--just enough to get the bastard to turn around and move for a better shot...
John took it along with him. He'd been thrown all the way to the other side of the arena, thinking his shoulder badly wrenched from the socket if not suffering from a break as well. No matter--the other arm was just fine for shooting, and Ivory wanted a little blood.
Even though her eyes were watering with the pain, Kyrie could see the bullets tearing through the fabric, the feathers, the flesh--but the man didn't so much as flinch. She finally gave an attempt at reaching for the blade that held her, realizing with another bright flash of searing pain that she couldn't reach anything but blade. She could already tell that her hands were sweating, to try and wrench the sword from the pillar while shaking with agony from broken ribs and a skewed shoulder...
"So there's three of you now..." the false Sephiroth seemed overly pleased, turning around only long enough to give the boys a decent look at everything they weren't accomplishing with bullets. "Perhaps you would try your luck with a spar?"
Bastard. So smug, so sure... so annoying confident. He was moving in again, to snap another rib like a dry branch beneath his fingers...
"Fuck off." She growled, grasping tightly onto a spark of memory she was not familiar with. Lucky for her, she'd stopped trying to make sense of it long ago. "Draw."
In a world devoid of most magics since Ultimecea had been defeated, the finer points of how to draw magic from a natural draw point or a creature was never explained to her. Hardly even brought up, in fact... and certainly not the ability to draw and then immediately... "Cast." She ordered without understanding why.
Light. It was light with a physical form, with a presence and mass and... a weapon. The wing that had been so darkly held over her shuddered--the man gasped and then drew back, startled for a moment... before the true sting of the magic sent him into a half-yelled curse. He had only enough time to glare hatefully at Kyrie... before all pain vanished from her face, showing only a feral grin.
"Cast, Holy." She ordered with more certainty. Without really being able to grasp the understanding of how, she'd broken through his defenses... and then some.
More bullets, more blood; a cry of rage and then one of pain. All at once the single wing extended, somehow managing to carry his body up before it disappeared in a burst of darkness. Not defeated... but certainly driven away.
It occurred to Kyrie right about then, that she'd be a lot happier if she weren't still in quite so much pain. Closing her eyes to gain a sense of calm, she heard the approaching footsteps of the other two.
"Ky?" Rodger sounded horrified and concerned at once, seeing blood from her palm, her shoulder... and slowly trickling down from under her leather jacket.
"Rib. Broken." She gasped, realizing taking a deep breath had been a really stupid thing to do. "I'd appreciate it... if you'd get me down."
John rushed over, feeling like an idiot for not having done so immediately. Of course... she was a lot more calm than he imagined someone in her position should have been. He hesitated, though...
"Just pull." She suggested, not entirely gently. The pain was one thing... but the echoing thoughts of the all too familiar blade having pierced her again...
Much as he didn't find that suggestion to be the best idea in the world... the half-devil did as she asked. With his good arm, he used one swift, almost violent tug, and the sword was pulled away; leaving behind a bitten-back cry and what was likely a series of curses uttered under one sharp breath. He caught her as gently as he could given that his own shoulder was still suffering from a physical blow, doing everything in his power not to make her broken rib throb any more. He'd been there... it wasn't fun.
Between the shoulder and the rib, she pretty much decided the day was already a bad one. Even taking in the air to thank him sent a sharp jolt through her... not that not breathing at all felt that great, either. Dammit. She should have asked Cloud about his Restore materia. What she'd give for healing magic...
--Which brought something else to mind immediately. "Holy." Even whispered, the word was... an odd one. Odder still was how she'd known... done and felt and... used... She still felt a little glimmer of it inside of her, too, as if it were ready to be called out and used again. Trying to control her breathing to cause the least amount of annoyance and pain, she had to ask. "Can either of you draw?"
"I'm still trying to figure out how the hell you did it..." Rodger admitted, looking her up and down. Really, what the hell were they going to do now? It was all he could do not to shiver. Sephiroth... not the Sephiroth, but a version of him... had been so close... again... Rage and fear and a sick, vicious sensation were threatening to overcome his forced calm...
The discovery of just how much a single broken rib mattered was getting annoying. Kyrie had moved forward from John for only a moment, taking all of her weight on her right leg... very lucky he was paying enough attention to allow her to lean against him again. Another thought was taking her attention... how could she ever be able to draw? Guardian Forces... she'd never seen one, let alone... it made no sense. Materia couldn't draw, she knew that... and the magic of Holy had been lost for so long...
The sudden flash and movement of what could only be called dark energy distracted their thoughts--and for just a moment it caused painfully tight weights to form in all of their stomachs at the thought that the man had returned...
Worry was alleviated, albeit slightly, by Riku appearing to dart out from the suddenly appearing tunnel of darkness; the gateway was sealed by a whispered word and the touch of his hand before he turned to them. Relief crossed his eyes--just before concern. He had his suspicions about what had happened... Sephiroth was only glad to take on new opponents, and anyone who entered the coliseum was fair game.
It took Riku only a glance to understand Kyrie's wounds. At least the Masamune left perfectly clean cuts. The shattered rib, having left cuts through the flesh, however... Well, better to just get it over with. "I suggest you prepare yourself. On three?"
Her gaze was surprisingly good-natured for what she knew was about to happen. "Oh, you think I'd fall for tha--"
There was no count, at all. While he hadn't exactly planned it, he'd gotten used to his will causing things to happen before he was actually ready. Unknown words whispered under his breath, hand outstretched, palm towards her... a light layered of purple and green sealed her shoulder with almost no pain at all, but the rib... that was different. She actually surprised him by not yelping, not lashing out at him with curses. Just a long, deep, shuddering breath. He liked to think perhaps it was gratitude holding her back... but he remembered, with a cold shudder, an incident where Sora had suffered from multiple broken ribs...
Kyrie allowed herself a deep, pain-free breath before giving her new, bloodied leather jacket a mild look... prodding at the holes still cut on either side of her shoulder. Well. It would figure, wouldn't it. She changed the subject out of little more than extreme aggravation. "How long were we gone?"
Riku blinked. He was expecting some accusation, or at the very least some mention of the pain he'd just caused... Not that he minded. "A day or so."
"'Or so'..?" John questioned, puzzled. Though time moved differently between worlds, there was usually a... formula, so to speak, for each individual world shift...
"You can't trust how the light moves, here." The boy replied quietly, turning away.
Curiosity of his statement flared in Kyrie only a scant second before the answer hit her from Sora's memory--day and night no longer existed in the worlds invaded by Heartless... "What happened?" came from her lips, once again not knowing quite what she was referring to.
"There was a... shift." Riku responded meekly, still looking away. "I couldn't stop it..."
No answer... but the distinct impression that getting more out of him wasn't worth the struggle, for the moment. Well. Then. "Take a look at John's shoulder. Then let's keep going."

Yeah, who didn't see Sephy comin'. As for what's going on? Well, uh... you'll see. I hope. This chapter was a long story in itself, huh? I'm still only semi-sure of what's going to happen, so it should be fun for all of us. Yay.
If you'd like to be e-mailed when I update, drop me a line with whatever story/stories/website you'd like me to inform you of.