A/N: OMFG! Is it really the tenth chapter? The tenth! And the plot is developing! Who'd have thunk it? Anyway, the pace will start to pick up in the next chapter (after this one) or so. So don't panic! The story is going somewhere!
Important Note: I'm sorry! I know this thing is drastically overdue to the ten billionth power! But it's really not my fault! Well it kind of is….. But Anyway! During a power surge my computer decided to go and die on me, and so I've been trying to, in the words of a friend of mine, phoenix down the stupid thing so it lives again! However after it came back to life my Internet decided to say 'screw you looser!' and that didn't work for weeks…It still doesn't, and I've had to use drastic measures to get this sucker online… Not to mention school has started and I really hate school. My schedule absolutely sucks big time. I'd really like to apologize again, and though I can't promise I'll update regularly, I'm certainly going to try! To get things done sooner!
Review responses:
Xeora- Well if you damn my suspense and me you'll never find out what happens. Congrats with the muffins! I can't cook anything to save my soul. Mmm, good muffins. And about my arm… As it is it's pretty much scarred beyond repair, I'll have to get an arm like Albel Nox. From Star Ocean. I'll have to get an evil Albel claw! Then how will I type!
Coley- Yep, FUN. But not for Sora and crew. :) I'm happy it's your favorite story. It's easily the best thing I've ever written to date. Let's hope it'll only get better and not worse.
Boogiepop reborn- Ah, Don't worry about my family problems. And you and your sister acting like total morons was half the fun! Makes my life look pseudo normal. I still don't know what you're talking about half the time. Yes you should update. :P And I never thought I'd see the day you'd rave about a Femslash pairing. Especially not that one. You do realize that could count as both Beast and Femslash…
hikarienzeru- Heh, you know what I typed this chapter out it did sound like Jiminey was the bad guy. So don't worry even I thought so. Sorry about the explanations, they're there so I don't have to explain it, along with everything else later when the plot really gets moving. As it is I'm sure they're will be another lengthy explanation later. Yes I am trying to add more Final Fantasy. Too much Disney for me to know what to do with all the happiness. Love it to death, but can't write it to save my soul. I'll try to keep the work consistently good. Rather of course then consistently bad. I love hearing people love my story, and I'm sorry for the wait.
Galerians57- I think you're the only one who cares what's happening to me on the outside. Don't worry about it, though I'm glad you thought to send you condolences. Makes me happy. I'll try to keep the writing good quality, and I'll see if I can't get this story moving.
Fluffy- Hey! First time you've reviewed! Glad you opted to waste that time for my sake! Yep JENOVA. I'd say Oh Snap pretty much covers it. As for Sephiroth and Cloud… READ AND FIND OUT! HAHAHAHAHA. Ahem… So you're used to Sora being blushy? So am I, which was why I wanted to make him a little less naïve. I mean really, how can someone go through everything he's been through and be as naïve as some people see him? However, you needn't fear. I have taken your request into consideration and have decided that as soon as Riku gets his act together, he'll put Sora in his place (wink wink). Thanks for the suggestion!
Shi Rurouni of the Aphrodisiac- Oh. My. Freaking. God. When I saw your guess about Hallowed Crystal I almost had a heart attack! It's not a correct guess mind you, but it's a helluva lot closer then I thought anyone was going to guess! Seriously I've gotta give you credit! In all seriousness it sounds a lot better then what I actually have planned, but…. Wow. It's been weeks and I'm still just… wow…. I Flippin' love you!
Chany- So you're a friend of Coley's? Did Coley recommend this to you or did you find this fic on your own? Doesn't matter…. Welcome! I'm glad you're reading anyway! The SoraxRiku action will get here, but not a for a while. I'm a firm believer in character development, and these guys still have yet to work out their insecurities. Don't worry though. I'm not going to abandon this story for anything other then me dying. I've put to much work into it and I want to see the end just as much as you guys!
Yamibakeru- I butchered the pronunciation of your new name the first time I saw it. Sorry. Big words give me problems. Kidding. So your takeru-rocks? I hope that means I get to see this newer, harder, name in the reviews more often!
THIS HAS YAOI/SHOUNEN AI, WHICH MEANS IT CONTAINS MALE/MALE RELATIONSIPS! IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS THEN DON'T READ IT, CAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO FLAME ME IF YOU'RE TOO BLIND TO READ THIS WARNING!
Last time: "However, we did some research in the library to see if there was anything to give an ordinary person those kinds of powers." Sora shook his head. "Unfortunately there is."
"What is it?" Cloud asked apprehensively. Sora didn't say anything for a moment. Eventually after lengthy pause he finally spoke up.
"They have to have something called J E N O V A."
"J E N O V A!" Cloud hissed as Aeris and Yuffie gasped and Cid's eyes darkened. "I thought that thing was gone for good!"
"What's J E N O V A?" Riku asked and Leon nodded, also not familiar with the term.
"J E N O V A is a monster. She was believed to be the mother of a powerful warrior. However now, she's nothing but a few remaining pieces of a corpse. The thing is, if a person gets infected with cells from her body…" Sora trailed off and shook his head before he continued. "The thing is, I'm not sure she came from Cloud's world. I think she might've been from different one. The thing is, we can't figure out which it is, and from what little we've seen of her cells so far, they're far closer to a creature of the darkness, like a Heartless, then anything natural from an existing world." He sighed be fore continuing. "However, we've already looked into the only two people alive who would have any connection to it. They're clean, and hidden safely back in Hollow Bastion. Whoever the culprit is, they haven't had 'her' influence for long."
"The two people?" Cloud thought for a moment. "You must mean one of them is Sephiroth!" He exclaimed suddenly, causing everyone to gasp in shock, even more so when Sora nodded in confirmation.
"Yeah, that's his name. Long silver hair with one tainted Angel's wing." He spread Cloud a meaningful glance as he spoke of the single wing. Then he shook his head. "A one winged Angel, a fallen God here as a savior, but only if your heart is dark enough. Yes, he's one of the two that we've taken back to Hollow Bastion. And I'm starting to regret it." He grumbled the last part.
"I can't believe he's still alive! We killed him! I know it!" Cloud exclaimed uncomprehendingly.
"It seems like this is the right time for those-who-should-be-dead-and-yet-aren't." Ansem murmured, chuckling softly.
"Who's the other?" Cid asked, expression shaken due to the discovery that his, Cloud's, Yuffie's, and Aeris's nemesis was still breathing.
"A very inconsolable man." Sora spoke not of the man's form, but of his heart. "Haunted by demons that I won't even try to fathom. I believe the only reason he hasn't been taken by the darkness, is that's he's far too sad, and holds a hope that's far too bright."
"Sora," Yuffie spoke up quietly, much to the surprise of the others "Does he have long black hair, dress in red, and carry a long rifle?"
"You think that it's…?" Cloud let his sentence drop off in shock, adopting an even more stunned look when Sora nodded.
"Yeah, sure does. His name is-."
"Vincent Valentine." Yuffie interrupted him; her hair hid her eyes.
"Yes. Do you know him?" Sora asked. "He rarely speaks, and Ansem, Eclipse, and I don't know much about him."
"He helped us fight Sephiroth." Cid spoke quietly. "Up until this point we'd thought he was dead."
Cloud released a breath he'd been holding. "Glad to here he's still alive."
"You have to take me to him." Yuffie spoke solemnly again. "I need to know something!"
"What is it?" Sora asked gently sensing the emotion behind her voice.
"I need to know if he's forgiven himself yet. If he's finally realized, with everything that's going on, he's not a monster." Yuffie's face turned up to look at Sora, her eyes pleading.
Sora nodded in understanding and didn't ask anything. "Alright. Anything else?"
"When do you believe the next attack will be? And on what world?" Leon asked professionally.
Sora shrugged. "I have no idea where it will be, but it won't be for another couple of days at least."
"What do you plan on doing from here?" Riku asked, expression apprehensive.
"Well you know just about everything I know at this point, which means my secrets can no longer be called such. So…" Sora drug the last word out slowly. "… How would you like to help me? I got the feeling that I was the one without the choice." He grinned.
"Damn straight!" Cloud swore happily. Sora looked at the large clock in the square.
"It's about noon now, so why don't you pack together everything you want to take with us, and we'll leave either tonight or tomorrow morning, whichever sounds better when you're done."
"Sounds like a plan. Anything we should bring with us?" Cid asked as he slipped into his business mode.
"A change of clothes, your weapons, and strong constitutions. Other then that it's completely up to you." There were nods and murmurs of understanding before the group, minus Riku and Sora, made for the house in third district. The silver-haired teen looked at his best friend.
"Sora… I owe you an apology." The brunet blinked.
"What for?"
"Because I was taking what you've been doing the past two years for granted. I didn't realize what you'd been going through, and I think I was jealous that you'd been spending all this time with someone else who once again, wasn't me." Riku stared at the ground.
"Believe me Riku, you have nothing to be sorry for. God knows I'd probably feel the same in your position." Sora smiled comfortingly at him.
The turquoise-eyed teen allowed him a wry grin. "But still, Ansem. It's kinda hard for me to get a grip on it. I mean, I saw the way he acted back there, so I know he's different, but still…The memories…"
"He's a little off yes, and he does have a very stained history. But he's been a great help, and I would be very badly off without his resources. I can promise you that I won't ever let him attempt to hurt you. He may leave holes in his facts, but if I'd really need to know what's happening then he'll tell me straight away." Sora smiled. "I know you don't trust him, but I hope you trust me enough to believe in my judgement."
"Of course! I can't begin to count the number of times you've been right and I've been wrong! Your judgement is dependable, I know that better then anyone." Riku's smile was supportive.
"You'd better go get your things together. If everyone's as excited about this as I think they are, then we could very well leave tonight." Sora nodded in the direction everyone else left in. "When you get there tell them I've gone to warm up the Gummi ship."
Riku nodded and Sora walked off through the world gate and Riku headed for third district. Ansem, who'd been standing quietly as all this went on, chuckled softly as the two departed. "Well," he spoke aloud as if to no one "I suppose it's a start."
"Will it be enough of one, or was it inadequate." Eclipse asked his master.
"It will have to work, though I was hoping for something a little better." Ansem replied aloud. "Considering all the factors, and the fact that his responsibilities are divided, it will be quite the challenge to prepare him." The platinum haired man smirked suddenly. "Especially considering the fact that he has no idea what we've got planned for him."
"Will the fact that his attention is divided between the Heartless, Riku, and the rest of his friends hinder his development?" Eclipse questioned.
"Yes, but hopefully we can use part of that to out advantage." Ansem replied still grinning.
"What exactly do you mean master? I'm not sure what it is you're talking about." The guardian replied, phrasing his question politely.
Ansem laughed. "Think about it for a moment my darkness! What was Riku supposed to be?"
"He was supposed to be the Keyblade master, but because he succumbed to the darkness, the blade chose Sora-."
"No!" Ansem laughed again. "That's not it." He smirked to his guardian. "It never ceases to amuse me just how misinformed Maleficent was!" The man shook his head. "Riku was not supposed to be the Keyblade master. Sora was indeed supposed to have possession of that blade. Riku however, is supposed to have during Sora's 'reign' what the King Mickey had during mine."
Eclipse's yellow eyes widened in surprise. "Are you certain master? It never happened before you. Are you sure Riku is…? We can't afford to be incorrect! And are you certain that Sora is indeed as you once were? That he's a-?"
Ansem stopped his guardian's babble with a raised hand, smiled at his companion and jerked his head in a come-hither motion. Eclipse, though confused and concerned, happily complied and appeared next to his master, and enveloped him in his arms; one around the tall man's shoulders and the other around his abdomen.
Ansem purred happily and turned his head into Eclipse's bulky neck. "I'm quite sure Eclipse, though on Sora's part it's merely an educated guess. Believe me I wouldn't risk making a mistake despite the fact that it's still early in the game." He sighed happily. "We need to cuddle more often…"
The dark guard managed a smile despite the tight bindings around his mouth. "I agree. However if what you say is true then we have both Sora and Riku to worry about. That's going to be quite difficult even for you."
"Have you no confidence in me?" The platinum haired man joked. "Of course it will be difficult, but they're young and if Riku is like Sora, then they're very willing to learn."
The guardian sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing master."
Ansem laughed again. "As do I." He paused a moment. "Eclipse?"
"Yes?"
"I have a task for you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Since it will be harder with both of them, I'd like you to go to Shadow Bastion, and pay a visit to our old friend the King of Hearts, for confirmation."
Eclipse's demeanor immediately sobered. "Are you sure that's wise master? It's quite presumptuous of you to ask the Lord of Shadow Bastion what I think you're going to ask, especially since Sora and Riku don't know themselves yet."
"Hmm, yes I suppose. But things are happening too fast, and the current Key master's reign has not been a normal or stable one. Of course that is mostly my fault." Ansem replied. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now. Go Eclipse. Ask him when you get there. I'm sure he already knows." He looked up into the perpetual night of Traverse Town.
"Ah, the good ol' King of Hearts, instigator of all our current problems."
A/N: Chapter ten is DONE! Hey. If any of you were confused with that last bit between Ansem and his guardian: good. What they were talking about will be revealed later. Though if any of you have any guesses, then I'd love to see them and laugh! No offense, but I told you it would be getting weird, and here is where the real weirdness starts! Heh heh, I love Ansem/Guardian! I want to write more of them because I love them so much, so don't be surprised if you see some more moments between the two of them. And don't worry, Sora and Riku will get it together eventually! If you want to see a romantic scene between any of the couples, (except Sora/Riku, that one's a given) review and let me know ahead of time so I can write it properly! I was thinking I'd do at least one for each of the couples: Sora/Riku, Ansem/Eclipse, Cloud/Leon, and Vincent/Yuffie (Cid/Sephiroth? Heh heh, really I'm joking, sorry.)