See below for notes on this one. Ooooh, change of format. Scary.

Xehanort was strangely silent as Riku walked toward the castle. Riku didn't know how he knew it but everything was centered there. That's where Cloud and Sephiroth were and soon, everyone else would be too.

He had reached his limit to tolerance and in some ways far exceeded it. This would end here and now and he and Sora would go live happily ever after, with no incomplete beings to interfere. They would all be free.

Suddenly, Riku slowed his pace. Wait a minute, why was he so concerned about the Nobodies puppet mastering all of this? He'd never particularly cared about them before. His eyes widened and he actually stumbled.

"You aren't Xehanort, are you?"

Well, that depends entirely upon your point of view.

Oh, shit. "Xemnas."

Yes.

"It's been you this whole time?"

You've been distracted. I must say, you have an absolutely fascinating heart. Wonderfully complex. No wonder my Heartless found you such a suitable host.

"I'm flattered. Now what the hell do you want?" Riku snarled. A near standing man turned and opened his mouth to protest. Riku threw out a dark aura and blasted him backward into a dirt pile. "Not you."

Rich laughter filled his head. You are amusing.

"Shut up and talk." Well that was a contradictory statement.

Have it your way. All I want is the same as before. To be free of this hollow existence.

"Well then why didn't you stay dead, dumbass?" Riku snorted.

Nothing goes on forever. You said it yourself. And since we Nobodies are nothing, well even you should see the inerrant problem with death.

"Whatever." He didn't want to get into a transcendental conversation with a voice in his head. "So what do you really want from me?"

That is what you need to determine. You are the one all of this madness is centered upon. Just remember we have an agreement.

Riku just knew the bastard was smirking. He also knew he wasn't getting any more information from him. "Damned shadow of a heartless freak who can't speak in anything but a monotone cause he has no personality. If he thinks he can tell me what to do, he's a bigger idiot than I thought. No one bosses me around."

He looked up realizing he had reached the castle. With a feral grin, he rubbed his hands together before throwing them both out in a double aura. The gate blew back, off its hinges in a shower of sparks. He crossed the threshold emerging through the smoke. "Honey, I'm home."

No one replied of course, but it brought a smile to his face. How long had it been since he called this place home? He still had the castle's layout memorized. Now where would Sephiroth hole himself up?

"Riku."

He turned and there was Leon with Aerith looking extremely worried behind him. "So you figured they'd be here, too."

"Where else makes sense?" Leon retorted.

"Has anything made sense?" Aerith murmured, ignoring Leon's angry glare.

"First we find Cloud. Then I kill you." He pointed at Riku.

"You will try." He responded coolly. Turning he headed for the far staircase. "They won't be below. It's too damp and Sephiroth won't risk his puppet's health."

Leon suddenly gripped his arm roughly. "Don't you ever call Cloud that again, you little cretin! That may be your father's name for him but you will never say it again."

Riku yanked himself free and smirked. "Jealous, Leon? Your little friend left you for a silver haired pretty boy, how tragic."

"That's it." Leon moved to punch Riku but Aerith somehow managed to stop him.

"That's enough you two." She didn't actually raise her voice but there was a power behind it that made both listen. "You don't even know what you're saying any more. We need to find Cloud."

"Whatever." Leon eased back. His tone became conversational. "So where are they?"

"My guess is either the main throne room or the master bedroom." Leon flinched at the word bedroom. "I say we check that one first."

"Let's go." The brunette snapped. There was an unusual determination to his step.

Aerith watched after him before looking at Riku. Something in her expression calmed Riku. The fury inside him quelled. Why had he been so angry again?

"Are you coming?" Leon growled over his shoulder.

The two stepped over to the stair case. Riku took the lead, knowing exactly where he was going. It was absolutely silent during the decent up. No one knew what they would find and if each was honest, really hoped it would be nothing.

Then they heard it.

"That's isn't…" Aerith whispered.

Leon and Riku froze, cold dread in the pit of their stomachs. They didn't need to answer the woman's unfinished question. With the briefest of glances to one another, they slowly finished ascending the stairs. At the end of the hall, an over sized door was cracked open spilling light out.

And that was where the noise was coming from.

With increasing terror, they approached. Fifteen yards out, Yuffie came running from the room screaming. She ran full tilt into Leon clinging to him like she would die if she let go. "Oh, god, oh, god, oh god, Leon! It's- it's, oh, god!"

"What, Yuffie?"

She shook her head in frantic denial. Finally, Leon slapped her. The moment he did, she dropped to her knees in a submissive position. "It's… it's totally impossible!"

"What is?" Riku asked impatiently.

"Cloud and Sephiroth and…" Yuffie cringed when Leon whipped his head down in her direction. She acted rather like a beaten dog, Riku thought. It was kinda amusing.

"Yuffie, pet, what did we discuss?"" Leon's voice was filled with strained patience.

"Only speak when commanded."

"Very good." He actually patted her head. "Now be good. I don't want to punish you."

Ookay, apparently Yuffie had become Leon's pet. She beamed up at him.

"Now what about Cloud and Sephiroth?"

"They have a baby."

"What??" Three voices joined in concert. Without waiting for a reply, they sprinted the rest of the way and burst through the door, skidding to a halt. Kairi was standing near them with a man sporting blue-grey hair. But she was barely noted.

In the center of the room was a large bed where Cloud was lying comfortably. And in his arms there was indeed an infant, swaddled tightly. They could see just enough to note the child did in fact have silver hair.

"How," Leon sputtered. "How is this possible?"

"Hi, Riku." Cloud spoke softly. His eyes were completely blank. There was a peculiar echo in his voice. "See? It worked. Thank you."

Everyone's head turned to Riku demanding to know what Cloud was talking about. He could only shake his head slowly, just as confused as everyone else.

"Well, Riku, it seems you've played your part perfectly." Sephiroth's cool tone came from the open balcony window. With him stood Sora, blue eyes shinning with tears. "You have broken this one's heart. I believe right about now, he wishes he no longer had one, isn't that right?"

Sora nodded mechanically.

And suddenly, everything fell into place for Riku. He knew exactly what the goals of the Nobodies were and even the great Sephiroth was a tool. While he was having this revelation, things were getting odder beside him.

"Cloud." Leon cautiously approached the new… mother? "Where did you get that baby?"

"You know where babies come from, Squall." Cloud answered mechanically. "His name is Shin. Isn't he beautiful?"

Leon let the name thing go this time. "Uh, yeah."

"Here, sit with me." Cloud shifted just a bit. When Leon did, he placed the baby in Leon's lap. Leon scrambled to take hold of it. Next thing he knew Cloud was crying. "This should be our baby."

Leon's eyes widened, trying to wrap his mind around these weird events. No matter how he figured it, he had no explanation for the child in his arms. Nor why it felt strangely good to have it there.

"Awww, Leon. He's sooo cute!" Yuffie gushed. "Oh my gosh, he has like amber eyes! Look Aerith!"

The flower girl stepped over, carefully observing Cloud. She was analyzing every move he made and each word he said. "That's a very adorable baby. Who's is it, Cloud?"

"Mine." Cloud's eyes sparked, the first real reaction since they'd entered the room.

"How did you get him?"

"How did I…?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion. Something was breaking through. Suddenly, he reached over and snatched the child from Leon. "No! He's mine! Mine… my… precious. Yes, my precious."

He began stroking the infant's silver hair, muttering precious repeatedly.

Meanwhile on the other side of the room…

"Sora." Riku approached slowly. He had to word this very carefully. There was no way to know how Sora was going to react. "I don't know what you're thinking right now, but everything you think isn't true."

"So you don't love me?" His voice cracked and he sounded truly heartbroken.

Something in Riku wanted to break with it. "I, I don't know, Sora. I can't be sure of anything right now. Neither can you."

Lair. You do know. Tell him or you'll lose him to Roxas.

"Shut up, Xemnas."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. His expression turned malevolent as he studied Riku. "I see now."

"See what?"

"I can play this game also." The former SOILDER bent to whisper into Sora's ear. The totally out of the blue, he licked the earlobe and Sora moaned. Unreasonable rage rose within Riku and only part of it was his.

Let me out. Xemnas's voice was completely cold. Now.

"No." Riku glared at the other silver haired man. He ignored the twisting inside him. He would not lose control. Sephiroth would not be allowed to use Sora to taunt him, or rather Xemnas. Judging by the way the other presence within him was reacting, the two had some kind of sick, twisted relationship going and he'd be damned if he was going to let them use his body to… gross.

Trying to sound less disgusted than he was, Riku smirked. "So how long you been Xemnas's bitch, Seph?"

"I am no one's bitch." Sephiroth snarled.

"Oh, you're a total uke. Everyone know's that. How else could Cloud continuously pwn you?" Riku knew he was treading dangerous ground but he had to get Sephiroth away from Sora. He managed a quick glance at Kairi who until now had been simply staring at the events unfolding around her in total and utter shock.

She caught his eye and seemed to understand what he was doing. She nodded once and carefully began creeping over to Sora. She tugged on his arm and he barely reacted. While she did this, Riku continued to distract Sephiroth.

"Dude, I mean, look at Cloud! How pathetic does one have to be to be beaten by that scrawny sack of bones." A sense of excitement was stirring inside him as Sephiroth began to approach him. It wasn't the type one got when about to engage in battle. It was more, intimate. What the hell?

"Is this what you want?" Sephiroth's tone was low, seductive. He stopped just before the barely shorter teen. "Then you shall have it."

And suddenly Riku was being kissed like he'd never been before. Sephiroth's tongue was in his mouth and damn it all if it didn't feel just a little good. He found himself responding, raising hands to grip long hair. Elation wound it's way around him

He no longer had control of his own body.

Xemnas was calling the shots now.

sorry, cliffie

Okay, well, there were A LOT of little jokes in this chap which hopefully you guys were able to catch a lot of. If not, sorries. A few references to game play and some other things. A really cool Advent Children pic for anyone who knows where Shin comes from.

If you couldn't tell, this one's almost done.

It will probably be a little while for the next chap. I'm gonna be at Acen this weekend (anime con in Chicago) and I'm driving up Thurs. Ten hours in a car, yay.

Any way, please get reviewing, guys. I love the feedback.

Later.