Sephiroth had little to do but wait, now that the plan was going the way he wanted. His Sora would take the real one's place, the real Sora would live out his life believing he was the otherwise non-existent Alex, and Roxas... well, he had a backup plan just in case.
The entire Arcology, once again entirly under his control. Oh, maybe a few troublesome Firsts like Sand poking around, and other such loose ends, but they were hardly a threat. Sora had been the last major threat to him.
It was nice to know an evil plan had come together. There was no other word for it, evil was definitely the one.
The doors to his room opened, and the real Sora entered. Naturally still dressed in the plain white clothing he'd given him, and the collar there. The expression was carefully blank. Almost as if it was deliberately there, but... no, 'Alex' wouldn't have a reason to do anything like that. There was a nagging feeling something wasn't quite right, however. A bad feeling. And his bad feelings usually turned out to be right.
"Master," Sora told him, an almost imperceptible edge in his tone as he said it, "Roxas wishes to speak with you. He says it is important, and has to do with Sora. He also requests I be present."
"Did he explain why?"
"He did not see fit to take me into his confidence on the matter."
"I see. Bring him in then."
Sora nodded, heading back to the door, then leading Roxas back in, standing off to one side.
"Roxas. This is unexpected."
"Refresh my memory a moment please, Grandmaster. When I last came here, it was because of Sora's disappearance, and you said, if he were found, he'd have his place back, correct?"
"Of course."
"Good. There'll be no contesting that point then. Do you know, just one hour ago, I was visited by someone who claimed to be Sora?"
"Really?"
"Yes. A clone. Genetically identical – but lacking several key things. No keyblade, and no link to me."
"How curious. Who could have done it?"
"I don't know yet. But I'll handle that in a moment. Tell me something else... what do you know of how Nobodies see?"
"I assume the same way as everyone else."
"Not quite. We see things the way they really are. Illusions have no effect on us." Roxas paused. Sephiroth showed no sign of it, but he realised where the bad feeling was coming from. "Other people," Roxas continued, "when they look at our friend here, see a mere first rank named Alex. Alex, who is merely an illusion, created by you, to prevent anyone from hiding Sora. Now, as I seem to have found him... you'll grant his position back. Just like you agreed, and with no argument. After all... surely the Grandmaster can be trusted to keep to his word."
"Very well," he hissed, after a long silence. "I will keep to the agreement. Sora, you're freed from all restrictions placed on you since I made you a first rank."
"And?" Roxas prompted.
"And you have your old place as First back."
Sora's expression hardened, his eyes taking on the pure black of a First as the collar vanished. Roxas' eyes returned to normal, his marking for being a fifth rank under Sora returning as well.
With a snap of his fingers, Sora's clothing changed, returning to his favoured look, the same as he'd worn when he first arrived. The keyblade returned to his hand in an instant, as if it had never left.
"Oh, by the way. Before Sora does anything else... I thought you'd like to know. I already know you're responsible for the clone's existance too. Did you know clones don't last very long?"
"What do you mean?"
"You accellerated it's growth so he'd match Sora in appearance, but failed to take into account any other effects. Right now, it's just a pile of dust in a jar with some unusual properties. Hold on a moment..." he fished around in the robe, then pulled out a jar with grey powder in. "Here he is. Your clone's remains. Now excuse me... I'm going to step clear of what happens next."
Sephiroth stood, as if to go after him, but found Sora blocking his path.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked in a dreadfully quiet tone. He didn't even have to look at Sora to know he was back at full strength already, no doubt with more from having it pent up for so long.
"Stand aside, Sora."
"No."
"I'm ordering you."
"Are you now?" he asked brightly, a vicious grin growing. "You? You're ordering me around? Roxas, are we live?"
"Going live now," Roxas responded. "The entire Arcology will hear. Go ahead."
"Perfect. Grandmaster Sephiroth, ruler of the Dark Arcology... I was going to list everything wrong with you, but we'd still be here in a week's time, so let's leave it that I don't like you, and I don't think you're in the right place."
"And where would the right place be, Sora?" he asked.
"At the bottom. Where you put me, so I couldn't speak out against you. Did you know, in the history of this Arcology, it was originally created only to seek out and guard against artefacts of power, to prevent their misuse? Under Grandmasters since then, it's gone a long way from that course."
"It's still done."
"Oh, of course. But it's still deviated from that, and it deviated most under you. One artefact, but nearly four hundred people taken, and almost all of them are still first ranks. Why is that, Sephiroth? The guidelines – the original ones, before you mutilated them and twisted them to what you wanted – say that no one should be a first rank for more than one year. You've been here for longer than that."
"So what? I'm the Grandmaster, and that makes this my Arcology to do with as I please."
"No longer. I won't let you do it any more."
"Just how do you plan to stop me?"
"By removing you from power. I will take your place, and I will put this Arcology on the right course. On a better course, and one where everyone will benefit."
"Are you challenging me, boy?"
Sora didn't answer immediately, instead delivering a powerful blow to Sephiroth, knocking him to the floor.
"Sora," he told him. "Not boy, Sora. I have a name, and you will use it."
"Is that so? May the best man... if there is such a thing, win," he replied, his own blade, Masamune, appearing in his own hand.
The two went at each other almost immediately, keyblade meeting Masamune almost continually. Sora let his fury fuel his power, giving him the boost to speed and power that made him match, then more than match Sephiroth's skill. The angry ring of blade on blade filled the air, only to be drowned out by the massive outbursts of power they were hurling at each other, distorting the air as fire blazed around one, only to be put out by a torrent of water from the other, water frozen and blasted back again, to be melted by fire, and repeating.
Roxas, ensuring he was clear, no longer sent what could be heard, but thanks to the help of others around the Arcology, was broadcasting a live image to all parts of the Arcology. For the first time ever, the entire Arcology and everyone in it stopped, watching the two battle it out.
Sora blocked and parried every attack Sephiroth made with an agility he'd never had before, but made full use of now, then counterattacked with every bit of power he had in him.
Sephiroth's mastery of the sword still managed to break through the defences he had in place, but he couldn't keep up with the speed.
Eventualy, their power ran out, exhausted by their near continual use of it. Without the boosts he'd gained from it, Sora was outmatched. He had a trick up his sleeve though. He nodded once to Roxas, who returned it, concentrating.
Within moments, he knew it had worked. Everyone who was on their side supplied their power to their Firsts, who in turn sent it to Roxas, who amplified it as much as he could, and sent it on to Sora. The torrent of new power flooding in was like a second burst of energy, and a nasty surprise to Sephiroth, who hadn't counted on it.
Now Sora went all out on the attack, he had power where Sephiroth didn't. Master swordsman or not, even he couldn't stand before the assault.
With a final blow, he simoultaneously disarmed him, Masamune embedding itself in a bookcase almost fuly up to the hilt, while Sephiroth himself was pinned to the floor.
"Give up, Sephiroth. Admit defeat, and I'll let you go with the same you left me with."
"Being a first rank? Oh, no Sora. You can't do that."
"I can, and I will."
"No, you can't. There is only one way to become Grandmaster, and that is for the previous one... to be dead. You'll have to kill me, Sora. Can you do that?" Sora hesitated. Sephiroth continued on, "You're too good for your own good. Always trying to do good, but here... if you want to do good, you first have to do evil by killing me. You won't do that. I know you. There's no evil in you."
There was a long silence, then finally, Sora replied. "There's evil in everyone. There's good in everyone. There always is. Everyone does good things, everyone does evil things, no matter how much of either there are. If that means I have to commit an act of evil to do good..."
"No... you wouldn't!"
"Wouldn't I?"
"You're bluffing!"
Sora thrust the keyblade, then leaned down. "I never bluff," he murmured. "If there is an afterlife for you... watch what I do, and learn how it's meant to be done by someone better than you. This is my Arcology now, and there's no place in it for you any more."
Sephiroth was speechless, unbelieving. Sora had actually done it. He gave one final sigh, then lay back, limply.
Sora cleaned off the keyblade, turning to Roxas.
"Have arrangements made to deal with his body. Then go to the council and advisors. Tell them what's happened."
"At once, Grandmaster Sora."

Much later, after the formalities had been dealt with, he stood at the windows to the Grandmaster's Quarters, now his Quarters. With Sephiroth's demise, they'd returned to showing the roiling black clouds and sparks that continually surrounded the uppermost floors of the Arcology.
"Watch me, Sephiroth," he murmured to himself. "Watch me, and learn how you become Master of the Dark."