Conquest

Author's Note and Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story. I have included an extended author's note at the end of the story, addressing some things that have been raised in the reviews so far.

Storm Clouds

My confrontation with Riku had revealed several things. For one thing, the intervening years had not been spent under Ansem’s control, or even pursuing the same goals. For another, something had prevented him from drawing the Keyblade, giving me yet another advantage. Most importantly, I could find him now. My dreams that night were rich with images of anticipated conquest.

* * * * * * *

The morning thermals spoke to me even before I awoke. Leaving my aerie, I soared above Hollow Bastion, reveling in the power of flight. Only one other person here knew that power, and he was unwilling to embrace it.

I circled the building, finally landing on the balcony outside Riku’s room. I wasn’t surprised to see that the room was empty, despite the early hour. He had left his belongings, though. Despite my actions, he was planning on returning.

The wind was beginning to drop. I stroked the air and rose back to my shelter on the roof. It would return in the evening, as would I.

The rhythms of Hollow Bastion have changed little over the years that I have been here. Riku’s arrival was still an unknown factor, but subtle. I doubted that he had formed any alliances within the castle, and he had been severed from any alliances in his past, either by choice or by chance. He had chosen to distance himself from the populated areas of the castle, much as I have, and in so doing he has placed himself deep within my domain.

I make a point of knowing what goes on in my domain. The others knew this, however subconsciously. He would know it as well.

As the morning progressed, noise in the pipes alerted me to his return. It was time to remind him of his situation. A shed primary would be sufficient reminder of how easily I could intercept him.

There was a long silence below, and I glided down to confirm my suspicions. I landed silently on the lower terrace, and surveyed the room. Riku lay across the bed, deep in some dream by the look of it, and not a pleasant one. I balanced the feather so that it would fall behind anyone passing, and teleported back to the roof.

My use of magic was quickly justified, as I looked down to see him exploring the terrace. He moved cautiously up the stairs, approaching the site of our confrontation. The light breeze seemed to give him some confidence, as he walked without hesitation to the same vulnerable position I had exploited last night.

His posture was anything but relaxed, however. While his eyes seemed trained on the distant scenery, his balance was that of a waiting combatant. I watched him for long minutes, as his expectation evolved into tension. After a while, he walked away from the edge, returning to the stairs.

I stalked closer to the battlements to watch his reaction. By the time I saw him again, he had picked up the feather, rolling the shaft between his fingers. As I watched, he drew the blade of the feather along his jawline, much as I had caressed it the previous night.

The hook was set.

His shoulders heaved as he shook off the lure of sensation. As he started looking around, I stepped back from the edge, concealing my presence. The knowledge that I was near had been planted in his thoughts.

I returned to my room. There was no need to confirm his suspicions immediately. For now, I would leave him guessing, wondering when and where I would appear again.

The room was silent for a long time after that. It was well into the afternoon when the sounds of wood scraping on stone spoke to me. He was claiming his territory. It spoke well of him. He would be deserving of the potential I sensed.

Before long, I heard the familiar sounds of sword practice. For a moment, I recalled another room, another practicing student. I closed my eyes, envisioning the moves that created those sounds – a lunge, a parry, the rare misstep and recovery. The flow of limbs and blade were as clear in my mind as if I sat in the room below.

For a moment, I considered facing him across that floor, the dance taking on the added thrill of a skilled partner. The Keyblade against the Masamune. Potential against experience.

Ah, but the victory won for you by your opponent has its own appeal. Seeing the yielding in his eyes as he acknowledges your control.

The sounds of practice faded for a time, and I stepped out into the warm afternoon. It was time for a little entertainment. I crossed to the other side of the roof and leaped into the light breeze. It was hardly enough for sustained flight, but it supported an easy glide down to one of the many balconies.

I strode through the hallways of Hollow Bastion. I needed to remind a certain someone of my presence. It wasn’t long before I found him, skulking around the library. He concealed his surprise well.

“Sephiroth.” He practically spat my name.

“Cloud.” I inclined my head slightly.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded. “An entire world to choose from – why are you still plaguing me? I had hoped I’d seen the last of you.”

“I’m not that easy to get rid of, it seems,” I said languidly. Despite his sword, I didn’t consider him a threat. “In any case, I have other reasons for staying here than your pathetic presence.”

His face darkened. “If you lay one hand – one finger on her...”

I laughed, stopping him in his tracks. “As sweet as that was, I have other diversions for now. I was actually looking for my protege’. Have you seen him?”

“Protege’?” A familiar hardness crept across his features. “I thought as much.”

“Don’t tell me you expected me to ignore such an – unexpected – opportunity.”

His eyes flashed as he reached the conclusion I intended. “Planning to destroy another city, Sephiroth?”

I smiled and pretended to consider his question. “Hmm... Fortunately for you, there’s not enough of a city around here to be much of a challenge. I’ll just have to think of some other – activity.” I turned and started walking away.

“Sephiroth! Don’t even think I’ll let you ruin this world like you tried to ruin ours!”

I chuckled to myself as I left him sputtering behind me. Even after all these years, I could still read him like a fine manuscript. In attempting to thwart me, he would serve my purpose quite nicely.

I returned to the balcony. The evening winds were beginning to rise, making flight easier. Still, it was a combination of that and the castle’s inherent magic that made it possible for me to reach my shelter. I watched as the sun began to set and the wind gained power. As soon as it reached the right strength, I launched myself skyward.

I circled the castle again, cleaving the air soundlessly. As I neared my target, I could see my quarry standing on the upper terrace. This time, he had chosen a spot nearer to the building, across from the stairway. The Keyblade glinted in the fading light. I considered landing below him, but the possibilities of the chase were also enticing.

I landed at the edge of the upper terrace. Riku’s stance was tense, even though he hadn’t noticed me yet. It didn’t ease when I spoke.

“I see you decided to stay.”

He shrugged. “I decided not to run.”

I chuckled. He was putting up an obvious front, but it showed he had spine. “As you say.” I looked out at the falls, wondering if he would take the opportunity.

He didn’t. “What game are you playing?” It didn’t sound as if he had moved.

“What game?” I looked over my shoulder at him. He was clutching the blade like a lifeline. I quirked an eyebrow at that. That kind of tension was not a sign of confidence. “There is only one ‘game’ that I ever play.” I looked pointedly at the weapon. “Do you really think that’s going to be useful?”

I turned to face him now, bringing the full force of my presence to bear. I took a step toward him, watching the reactions in his eyes. Another step. His confidence was waning. Another step. The blade swung up between us.

“Don’t try to confuse me, Sephiroth.” Like his protests of the night before, his words are more for his own ears. “I know you’ve been following me. I found your calling card.”

“Perhaps I meant you to.” Another step.

“A threat?”

I smiled. “A promise.” Another step. At that moment, there was a brilliant flare from the Keyblade. When the sparks faded, the weapon was gone, and Riku’s eyes were wide with surprise.

“What – How did you – ?”

I laughed. He hadn’t expected it. “The Keyblade can only be controlled by a Keyblade Master,” I reminded him. Before he could react, I wrapped my wing around him and drew him close. I heard the rush of breath as impact and surprise drove the air from him.

I claimed his mouth before he could catch his breath, enclosing him in a binding of wing and leather. The smell of leather flooded my lungs, mixed with the subtle hints of apprehension and lust. His lips were still parted in shock, and I seized my advantage, plunging into his vulnerable mouth.

I could feel his spine go rigid as I savored his taste. I caught a glimpse of ocean-blue as he wrestled with what was happening. My tongue slid over the roof of his mouth as I sought his depths. He was mine now.

I felt him stagger, and there was a tug on the front of my coat. I wasn’t ready to release him yet, and hauled him to his feet as my tongue curled around his. Unexpectedly, I felt his tongue press against mine. I chuckled to myself. My claim was set.

Almost as quickly, Riku’s hands pressed against me and I released him. He was breathing hard and fast, still flushed from the experience. I smiled in triumph and took a step backwards, spreading my hands in mock surrender. I had already won, and he knew it. As he stood there, comprehension slowly dawning in his eyes, I launched myself skyward.

I called back over my shoulder as the night separated us.

“Sleep well, fledgling.”

TBC

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The Why of Conquest (An Extended Author's Note)

Since I think there's some confusion, I'm going to state this bluntly.

"Conquest" and "Wings" tell the same set of events. I wanted to be clear about this from the get-go, and I apologize if I wasn't.

"Wings" focussed entirely on Riku's experiences and his thoughts and reactions to them. As I was writing "Wings", I made a point of not exploring any of the other characters as far as motivations, thoughts, and so forth. I deliberately avoided even naming the secondary characters (Leon/Squall, Aeris, Tifa, and Cloud), reducing them to simple descriptions. I wrote it because I wanted to explore Riku dealing with his past and possibly finding that he has a future. Oh, and hot, silver-haired bishies.

"Conquest" is also an experiment for me. In "Conquest", I'm focussing even more tightly - I'm writing from inside Sephiroth's head. I'm exploring a world that is colored by *his* experience and nature. Sephiroth isn't confused about what's happening. He's not angsting over his past misdeeds. He's in control, and knows what he wants.

I can assure you that there will be no non-con in "Conquest". Not unless you considered the acts in "Wings" to be non-con. In fact, I think each act becomes more consensual, taken in turn. More explicit? I think maybe. I did put a Lemon warning on it, as well as an NC-17. Still, I'm not going to reduce my story to simple crudity. Both our guys are too pretty for simple crudity. Darker? Most definitely. Again, I'm in Sephiroth's head here, and he's not all sweetness and light.

Writing this is going to push my limits. By the end of it, I hope to have a solid handle on Sephiroth's character, which will make it easier for me to write these stories. Again, I apologize for re-using the dialogue, but every story has at least two sides, and I wanted to see the darker one.