Xejicka: Yo!

Sephiroth: Stop trying to talk like Reno.

Xejicka: I wasn't.

Thalkxene: Sephiroth, will you pose for me?

Sephiroth: Why don't we move onto a less painful subject.

Matt: Jackie gets a weapon.

Xejicka: Sweetness, I even looked up weapons on wikipedia.

Thalkxene: An odd fact is that practically none of Organization XIII's weapons look like what they're called.

Matt: That really only pertains to Lexaeus' and Saix's weapons.

Dislaimer: Xejicka does not own the Kingdom Hearts Series, the Final fantasy series or any other kind of blood outside type O.

Sephiroth: You mentioned the word blood.

Xejicka: To your liking. Those who can't handle blood, get out of here! I like writing about it.

Chapter 21

The Beast and the Replica

A massive sword swung down upon a silver haired man that looked to be a teenager. He quickly lifted his souba just in time to block the attack. The long sword kept on hacking at the lifted souba, a shower of sparks coming from every hit of metal. Durus was getting tired but he still kept his guard up against the silver haired enemy.

"Why must you struggle? Why are you failing?" Sephiroth asked in his deep voice as he continued hacking. Durus was wearing down. How he hated to lose to this man. Losing was not an option and it never would be. Sephiroth gave a blow that knocked the replica down to the ground. He raised his sword to deliver the killing attack but suddenly an ice spell hit his arms, preventing them from moving.

Durus looked over to a man that wore a tight black body suit, his black helmet with its visor down covered his entire face. "Thanks, Humanity," Durus said to the ice caster that promptly jumped next to him as he got up. Sephiroth broke his arms apart, throwing ice shards everywhere. Durus lifted his souba as his humanity lifted his weapon, a keyblade. "What took you so long?" Durus asked impatiently.

"You have to time your movement if you want to fight at the highest levels. I though Fate taught you that," Durus' humanity said in his voice that sounded sly, but wise.

"Yeah, but that woman was also the one that chose your form. She has a sick sense of humor in these kinds of things. Why does she do that?" Durus questioned as he dodged Sephiroth's slicing.

"She chose my form because she saw it fit. It keeps track of how dark your heart is. As you can judge by me, you have quite a bit of darkness," the humanity said as he hurled a thunder spell at the one winged angel. Durus took this opportunity to jump and make a stab at Sephiroth.

The ex-SOLDIER general lifted his masamune and locked the souba in place. He gave a small laugh as he swung it, flinging Durus away, making him crash into his humanity. With both of his opponents disabled, Sephiroth glided over to deliver another painful blow to the fallen.

"Potential puppet, dance under my hand," he said in a deep voice that raised the hairs on the the back of Durus' neck.

On another platform a good distance away, a berserker woke up. "Ugh, what a crash," Jackie moaned as she rubbed her neck as she got up. Her humanity stood in front of her as if she were waiting for the appearance of the berserker. "The last thing I remember was seeing a naked Reno. Did I black out?"

Humanity nodded. "Welcome back. Shall we move onto another lesson?"

"Another lesson? I have a feeling it's more than that. Need to tell me something?" Jackie asked as she walked closer to the armored woman.

"There is a fight going on nearby. Take your lesson from that," Humanity said as she looked up. Jackie did the same. There was another platform high above hers. It lie upside down so Jackie and her humanity could see the three men fighting on it.

Durus quickly rolled over as not to get stabbed by the masamune that was aiming towards his chest. Yet, it was too late and he felt the sword stab into his back. He let out a scream as he felt Sephiroth drag the sword down his spine. "Consider this a gift," Sephiroth said as he continued to dig, blood started to pour down the younger man's back as he howled in pain.

A black keyblade made contact with Sephiroth's head. Durus' humanity started to viciously assualt Sephiroth to the point he knocked him across the platform, giving the humanity enough time to tend to his master. "Curaga!" he hissed as the wound in Durus' back closed up.

"Thanks," He said as he got up. He turned his head to the one winged angel. "Just die already!" he said to the man that gave him a provoking smile.

"Remember that I have to protect you as you do the same with me. One cannot be without the other," Durus' humanity reminded.

"Yeah ,because if you're gone, then I'm screwed. Keep in mind who's really being attacked here.," Durus angrily pointed out as he and Sephiroth charged at each other. Their swords clashed with a flash of sparks. This was really Durus' battle, his humanity did not need to intercede, only stand by and support. "Seriously, what's the point in having you here?"

"The purpose of a humanity in its physical manifestation is to show you that you are whole and that you are human. If you see my presence, you know that you are not stationed at the heart, or quite sane at that. A humanity is the gateway and therefore we have to use a key to unlock the heart. A keyblade, all humanities' weapon, regardless of our form," Humanity said. Sephiroth stabbed at Durus who actually got out of the way this time.

"I just love how Fate likes to tell me I can't wield a keyblade, that bitch!" Durus said sarcastically and angrily as he finally lunged forward and str7uck the one winged angel in the shoulder, he smiled.

"Anger, how humorous that a clone, a fake, thinks he possesses it," Sephiroth uttered as he stabbed his sword beneath Durus' feet and catapulted him into the darkness above.

The replica flew high, matter felt like it disappeared from around him. Sephiroth jumped up and readied the masamune for an upward stab to hit as soon as his victim fell. Durus knew full well what was being planned and what was going on. It was only a matter of time.

The silver haired youth looked up to find something glowing. There was another platform facing him far away with two women on it. One was armored, the other was a pale brunette that looked up at him with sad and worried eyes. "You," he said as he fell back.

"He's getting his ass kicked," Jackie said as she looked up at Durus. "C'mon! Help me save him!" she pleaded to her humanity as she looked away from the airborne youth. "This has to be the real reason I came here."

'It's Durus' battle, Jacquelyn," Jackie got chills. "It's his alone. Even if it wasn't, you don't even have a weapon," her humanity said warily.

"Then get me a weapon. I'm getting sick of the honors system, I've lived by it long enough. Sephiroth helped screw me up. I don't want him to do the same to everyone else," Jackie demanded as she walked to the edge of the platform. She looked down beyond the edge, then up at the other platform. Despite the horrid fight scene, she could easily make out the mosaic pattern.

The center had two hands reaching out to each other. They looked close to touching as the rest of the figures were covered. The figure on the left seemed to be covered with dusk nobodies, clock gears and an odd white mist, only the outstretched arm was of feature as to show of anything that was covered. The outstretched hand on the right was the same, but instead of dusks, gears and mist, it had shadow heartless with black feathers floating and a dark mist. "His name is Durus, right?" Jackie asked, not looking away.

"Durus Nero Vesper," Jackie's humanity said.

"That black guy in the skirt, he's with Durus, right?" Jackie asked, still not looking away.

"Yes, he is like me. Don't say it's because we're from the game. Though are forms are the same, our purpose is different," Jackie's humanity spoke quickly, not giving her master a chance to make a sarcastic comment. Jackie sighed in disappointment, no one would allow her to be sarcastic.

"How much is a person bound to her humanity?" the berserker finally asked.

Durus fell back, waiting to be impaled. Sephiroth soared forward, ready to claim his prize. Just in time, Durus' humanity rode in on a keyblade, a ball of lightening formed between his hands. He gathered the energy and shot it at Sephiroth. The blast blew the one winged man away. Durus twisted as he fell. He ended up landing in a one knee kneeling position with his head down. He looked up seeing Sephiroth fall back. Durus then looked for his souba that had fallen not far from where he landed.

Once seeing it, he dived for it, no time for stride. The guy didn't even land when he saw the masamune slide beneath him only to have it knock him clear across the platform and off the edge. Only he didn't fall into the depths. The blade of the ridiculously long sword struck through the gray wrist band he wore. "Leaving already?" Sephiroth asked with the cold smile he wore. "Why don't you stay around more?" he asked while swinging the masamune over himself and slamming Durus hard into the platform.

Needless to say, the wristband was sliced off to reveal a small cut and a tattoo shaped like asheild that only a nobody would use. Durus was in pain as he saw th one winged angel walkover to him. "Lets try this again," Sephiroth spoke as he lowered his sword at Durus back only to have his move stifled.

Durus' humanity has sliced hard at the silver haired man. Sephiroth grabbed the keyblade that was almost wedged into his side with his right hand as he turned around, letting the masamune slice part of Durus' back as he turned. Durus screamed in pain but couldn't move. However, he could easily witness what was going on as he put forth energy to at least see what Sephiroth was doing.

There was a gash in his side, but he held tight to the keyblade, not letting the humanity move. Wordlessly he swung the bloody sword he wield and slain the humanity with a clean swipe. Durus witnessed his humanity collapse and start fading. "Humanity!" he cried, tears starting to stream down his sweaty and bruised face.

"Durus, finish him. Accept your sources around you and finish him!" his humanity ordered as streams of darkness formed around him. An amber tinged light glowed beneath the visor as Sephiroth sliced the humanity once again, making him disappear completely.

"What other sources do you have besides the darkness and I? If you want me gone, then you have to give in," the tip of the masamune rest on the side of Durus' neck.

"I'd rather die than be your clone!" Durus roared, though he was in no position to talk. He had no choice as he balled up his fist, ready to summon the darkness.

"Now!" a voice cried from above.

"Hyrahhh!" another voice screamed. Durus didn't summon darkness as he was so surprised but he didn't turn for fear of having his neck cut. Sephiroth remained unflinching and was cut inot Durus' neck about to decapitate until...

A crescent shaped blade cut through the one winged angel. He fell to the ground as the blade severed through his wing and torso. Jackie didn't show mercy as she started swinging her guan dao. The berserker let out a roar as she thrust the long weapon into Sephiroth once more. He turned his haed slowly to Jackie and Durus, a smile across his bloody face.

"So you have used your sources," he said with a voice that sent chills down both fighters' spines. He pulled a great amount of feathers from what was left of his wing. He sent them over to Durus as they landed on his back. "Consider this a farewell gift," Sephiroth said as he disappeared in a flurry of black feathers. Jackie gasped in horror as she saw some of the feathers sink into Durus' flesh of his back and disappear.

She dived down next to the wounded warrior. "Shit," she cursed as she tried to ease Durus gently into her lap. Blood was seeping all over both of them, but Jackie didn't care, this guy was about to die. "C'mon, stay alive, pull through," she silently pleaded.

She ripped off his jacket and lifted his shirt as she tried her best to wipe all of the blood as well as try to stop the flow on the neck. "This feels familiar, doesn't it?" Jackie's humanity asked only suddenly appearing before her and Durus.

"He's going to bleed to death," Jackie said as she tried to stop the bleeding futilely. "Could I bite him to save him?" Jackie asked fearfully.

"There is no moon. How about you use another gift," Humanity suggested as she sat across from Jackie and Durus.

"Maybe if...," Jackie placed her hands on Durus' wounds and his cut neck. "He's still breathing, his heart is beating," she said as she closed her eyes. "Do I still have it, the light?" she asked.

"Only try," Humanity said as she placed her hands on Durus. His vision was fading in and out, all he saw was the berserker. What was she doing? He felt an odd warmth. Light formed from both females' hands and onto the wounds.

The warmth felt so good on the man with a dark aura. The wound sealed up as the light flowed. Jackie dared open her eyes. It looked amazing despite the crimson. Jackie scanned the progress and noticed there was a cut on Durus' wrist. Not only that but there was a small tattoo in the shape pf a familiar shield. She gave a small smile until pain surged through her right wrist and left arm.

The light stopped. Jackie let out a small scream of pain. The berserker let out a scream of pain of pain as she clutched her wrist, a line of blood formed completely around where her arm and shoulder connected. "Ugh!" she cried. Durus finally got out of his trance. He bolted up and clasp his arms around Jackie.

"Snap out of it!" he shouted as he held onto her and the pain stopped. Jackie became dazed, what was that? Durus didn't loosen his grip as he was enveloped in happiness. She was finally in his grasp. She saved him and he was grateful. Fate had finally fulfilled her promise.

"Thanks," Jackie said. She didn't know why, she had a feeling that he helped her, even if it was stopping the pain. She pulled herself away from Durus. "Are you better? Let me see the wounds," Jackie said as she nudged him around to see the back.

Fate wasn't exaggerating about this woman's concern, Durus thought to himself. "How is it?" he asked as Jackie examined his back.

"It's not bleeding, but there will probably be scars," Jackie said, disappointed.

"Just like you," Durus commented in a slightly happier tone.

"What? How did you-?" Jackie asked, confused.

"I just want to know how you escaped Vexen's lab," Durus said as he turned around.

"I-I didn't. What are you suggesting?" Jackie asked, becoming even more confused. Durus looked at her in the eyes. Jackie gazed into them for only a second. Did the pupils just turn to slits then revert back? Durus did realize it and he smiled. He put her hair behind her pointy ears.

"Your hair has gotten long," he pointed out. Jackie looked down to her hair. It had become ridiculously long, it was even drenched in Durus' blood and didn't like it.

"It has, hasn't it? It's getting in the way," Jackie pointed out. She hated it. She wanted longer hair, but not like this.

"I'll fix," Durus said as he grabbed his souba. He pulled the berserker's hair back and placed his blade behind her neck. A quick flick and Jackie's hair now only reached her shoulders. Durus dropped his weapon, to admire his short work. "Better?" Jackie nodded. "Thank you, thanks for helping me. I just want to know, is there anything I could do for you?"

Jackie searched the back of her mind. She remembered her humanity told her about Durus and Reno being Kathleen's bodyguards. "Could you protect my friends? For me? Then... could you save me?" Jackie asked.

"Your friend?" Durus asked.

"Yeah, Kathleen McNulty. Make sure she's alright. Do that and... help me escape.," Jackie answered. Some tears came to her eyes. Durus was confused about escape. It really didn't matter as he put his arms aound her in an embrace.

"I'll protect her and you. Funny, I've been looking forward to having you and I don't even know your name," Jackie felt odd and yet safer in this embrace as Durus spoke. Then it suddenly felt as if reality was ripping away from her. Before she could even answer,she disappeared. Durus fell forward and roared in disbelief. "What?!"

"She is not yours yet, Durus. You cannot know her yet. Remember the contract, one year," Durus' humanity said. Durus got up and looked at his humanity, very surprised. "She saved me when she saved you," the humanity looked up at a fading mosaic platform. Durus looked up too.

It looked like a planet with a large, silver heart in the center. There was a black hand grabbing it. "I'll protect Kathleen. I'll protect Kathleen and save her.," Durus said strongly. "I'll do that and I'll make sure Sephiroth will never try to control me again,"

"You won this battle. If it was in your actual heart, circumstances would be different. I know that girl was unaware for the fact for certain lies were told. I could sense that," Humanity said.

"Yeah, but she helped. I didn't want it, but she helped me. I'll save and Fate's deal will be complete," Durus replied as everything started to fade away. Humanity did not want to point out that it looked like feathers were forming over his master's left shoulder.

Xejicka: This chapter feels shorter than normal. I love my Durus

Matt: What's with all the blood scenes?

Xejicka: I love blood!!! -watches Blood + while viciously eating chips and salsa, lots and lots of salsa- Sweet.

Thalkxene: Oo

Sephiroth: I suddenly feel more attracted to you now, or scared, one or the other.

Xejicka: Sephiroth is a pain in the ass to write. I hate writing him and he is so hard because I'm unsatisfied. -knock salsa over so hard it lands on Matt's head-

Matt: Hey! -tries to get salsa off but ends up spreading it and his hair actually sticks straighter in process- Crap.

Fate: -pops out of portal- Yay! Sexy red head! -kidnaps Matt-

Sephiroth: I'm leaving now. This is stupid. -disappears in flurry of black feathers-

Xejicka: I hope you understand certain things now.

Thalkxene: I hope you understand the Jackie is living a complete lie! As to why, you'll see later.

Xejicka: And that Durus thinks he's got property rights... Review!!!