Wonnykins: Here's the next one! Hope you like!!

Reguarding the question posed in the last chapter, here are the guessers and winners:

SiLvErReIgN101: While those were good guesses, no, Riku is not the incarnate of someone else, and no one has brought him into the future. -gives you Riku plushie for trying-.

Moonyasha: Time runs the same in both worlds. Sorry! -gives you Sephiroth plushie-.

Hikari Manganji: YOU GOT IT!!!! Yes! Riku's mum is a mermaid! She died, but I'll leave that to you to figure out, you smartie. -Gives you magnetic Sora and Riku plushies-

echi: You are right, as well! Riku is a half-breed! So are his brothers, btw; they weren't the products of another marriage. -gives you Axel and Roxas vibrating plushies-

.x.Oh Reto.x.: Right again! Man, you people are smart...Anyway, although looks have nothing to do with it, cept Axel, he looks like thier mom, Axel's powers do. Riku and Sephiroth have other mer-people aspects, too, but they have yet to be mentioned. -gives you Dress-Me, Fuck Me! Riku and Sora plushies-.

Thanks to all of you who guessed! Oh, wait till you see Riku's daddy...X3

On land, Riku and Axel were also before their father. However, he had pulled them into a tight hug, kissing both their foreheads.

"I thought I'd never see you again." He was saying. Riku was hugging him back.

"We didn't either, father." He whispered. Axel nodded. The two pulled away, staring into their father's golden eyes. This was King Ansem; a gentleman by heart, and a taker of charge in a crisis.

Ansem stood, looking at each boy in turn. "How did you get back? I'm curious, since Sephiroth said he didn't see you while he and the crew returned." Said older prince stood in a corner, seeming calm, but his younger brothers knew that he was sulking. Sephiroth was known for his greediness, and he had been looking forward to having all of the kingdom, should Axel and Riku die.

At his father's words, Sephiroth looked the two younger princes, smirking. "Yes," He murmured, moving forward, "how did you manage, little brothers?"

Riku and Axel brushed shoulders, a silent agreement passing between them. "We passed out, and when we woke up, we had washed up on to the beach, father." Axel said. Riku nodded.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, and the smirk grew wider. "Oh?" He asked, an eyebrow raised, "Are you positive?" He turned to their father, "We captured two very lovely creatures while we at sea..." He whispered, and both sets of green eyes went wide, "...Mermen, father." The oldest prince hissed in Ansem's ear.

Ansem's eyebrows shot into hair. "Is that so? I suppose they fell into the sea, after the wreck, however..."

Sephiroth's eyes shone wickedly, and he stared at his younger brothers. "Yes, that is what I supposed, but..." His smirk was twisted, "...I believe that is how little Axel and little Riku were able to return."

The silver-haired king whipped around, resting his golden gaze on his youngest sons. "Is this true?"

"No! Of course not!" Axel spat, venom covering his words as he pretended to be disgusted, "The damn things watched as we drowned, father! They laughed! They even dragged our ankles down! It was luck that we were able to break free." He shivered for the over all effect, "They're monsters, father..."

For some reason, Ansem frowned. "Not all of them are rumored to be that way. I'm sorry for your luck, my sons." Sephiroth growled, and strode away, seemingly not pleased that his father had accepted the lie Axel had concocted. "You may take your leave, my sons. Rest."

The two bowed. "Yes father." They coursed. They turned on heel and walked briskly out of the throne room.

After reaching their rooms, Riku glanced at Axel.

"Thanks."

The red-head raised an eyebrow. "What for, ickle one?" He teased.

"For covering for...you know who."

Axel grinned in a cat-like way. "What was I supposed to do? Do you think dad would take it lightly if he knew the truth?"

Riku frowned. "No, I don't think he would..." He smiled, "When do you suppose we'll see them again?"

"Soon," Axel whispered, "I hope..." He snickered, "I think the blond one has a thing for me..."

"Then he must be crazy." Riku sneered. Axel frowned.

"Oh, really?" He reached out, fingers twitching, "That's funny, Riku. Why aren't you laughing? Do you need help?" He began tickling the younger, who yelped, and ran away, down the hall. It had been so long since the two of them had done something so childish. Sephiroth watched from his balcony as the two younger ones ran out into the castle garden. His eyes narrowed dangerously. Something was going on, and he was going to find out.

Whether Axel and Riku liked it or not.

The metal shone brightly in the refracted light. Sora was admiring his reflection in the crown Riku had given him.

'Are my eyes really that blue?' He wondered, cocking his head. He hadn't noticed it, before. 'Maybe it's this necklace...' The brunette smiled faintly, and held the charm close to his chest as he lay back into the silky soft pillows of his bed, '...or maybe it's Riku...' This thought made him blush deeply.

A knock on his door startled the boy, and he stuffed the piece of jewelry under his bed covers, just as Cloud entered the room.

"Sora?"

Sora looked up, innocently. "Yeah mom?" He shifted his tail fins so that they were resting on the place where the necklace was hidden. He was lucky he had been looking down when his father and mother had found them, yesterday. Otherwise, his and Roxas's ruse would have been pointless. The necklace would have been a dead give away.

Cloud swam over, perching on the edge of his bed. "You okay?" He asked. Sora nodded. "Are you sure? Anything that freaked you out?" The brunette shook his head. Cloud sighed. He gestured to his youngest, who obligingly crawled into his mother's arms and sat with his head on Cloud's chest.

"Were you scared?" Cloud asked in a hushed whisper. Sora didn't answer, "It's all right if you were." He added.

Sora sighed. "Just a little..." He felt Cloud shift.

"You worried us." Cloud whispered into Sora's hair. Sora snorted. "Your father, too, Sora, don't let his anger fool you." The blond's eyes glazed over, "While we were sleeping, a guardsman found your bedroom doors open, Sora. We didn't think you two were in so much trouble until..." He fell silent for a moment, "...until your father woke up screaming..."

Sora winced. His hand reached up and fingered the cheek where to burn had been. It hurt no more, of course, but the memory the pain had caused was fresh in his mind. The connection between the twins and Leon were probably what caused Leon to feel Sora's pain. Not much was known about Leon, but what was known was that he had powers not to be reckoned with. He was the one who had created the special bond between himself and his sons.

"What exactly happened, Sora?" Cloud said abruptly, startling Sora from his thoughts, "Your father still refuses to tell me."

Sora debated whether to tell Cloud or not. Even if Cloud was his mother, he couldn't tell him everything. However, he could tell him part of it. The brunette closed his eyes and poured out what had happened...with a few lies, of course.

Cloud listened well. When Sora stopped, he held him closer. "Poor Sora..." He murmured. Sora let him, for a little while. When Cloud let go, he looked relieved. He got up from his spot and went to the door. "Someone will bring you and Roxas your meals." He gave Sora a look of warning, "Don't leave under any circumstances, Sora. Your father wouldn't like that." He left afterwards, shutting the door. As soon as the blond was gone, Sora scrambled around under the covers of his bed for Riku's necklace.

As he held it up, the door slammed open, and Sora didn't have a chance to stuff it anywhere.

"Soraaaa..."

The brunette stopped looking so frightened and growled, taking one of his pillows and whacking Roxas in the head with it. "Don't do that!" He snarled. Roxas laughed, dodging and settling onto his brother's bed. The blond snatched the jewelry from Sora's hand and held it up to the light.

"Wow this is cool..." Roxas admitted, staring into the silver crown. Sora whined and reached for it. "Come on, Sora, I'm not gonna eat it!" Roxas protested as Sora grabbed the necklace back. The older twin watched Sora put it possessively around his neck. "Are you really that attached to it?" Roxas smirked, "Or, rather, him?"

Sora blushed. "Of course not! It's mine, though, and you can't have it!"

Roxas snickered. "Sora has a crush..."

"I do NOT!"

"Sure you don't..."

Sora huffed, crossing his arms. "What are you even in here for, Roxas? Dad said-"

"Blah blah, stay in your rooms, yeah, yeah..." Roxas said, looking bored, "You do want to see Pretty Boy again, right?"

Sora blushed again. "P-Pretty Boy?"

"You know who, Sora."

"..." Sora looked around before muttering, "Yeah..."

"HAH! I knew it!"

"Shut up and tell me what we have to do, you moron!" Sora hissed, pinching Roxas's side. The blond yelped.

"Okay! Don't pinch me!" He pouted, "We have to go tonight, at eleven. Simple enough?"

"Why eleven?"

Roxas rolled his eyes, "That's when they change guards, you idiot."

"So I forgot; behead me."

Roxas grabbed Sora's necklace and pulled him forward. "Listen up." He hissed poisonously, "If we get caught, we're dead, got me?" Sora nodded, "Good. Now look, we're going to have to go out the windows, so make sure someone checks on you before you go. Meet me outside the city by eleven, okay?" More frantic nodding. Roxas let go. "Good." He swam to the door, "Gotta go. Be ready."

"Sure Roxas."

Roxas grinned. "Don't pretty yourself up too much."

"Get out."

Roxas flipped his hair, smirking, and darted out into the hallway, flicking the door closed with his tail. Sora's hand found it's way up his chest and over the crown. His fingers curled loosely around it. Going to the windows, which were glass-less holes in the coral, he gazed to the east, where the sun was setting. To the north, he knew, Riku was waiting.

Waiting for him.