A/N: And chapter 14 is out of the starting gates! I'm seriously still surprised you readers are still with me. Haven't gotten fed up with my irregular plot line yet…. Also, some actual shounen ai in this chapter between Sora and Riku! Ashamed to say nothing really happens yet, but it's better then it has been!

Review Responses: (I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this time. The response to the last chapter was the most I've had yet after my unplanned for hiatus.)

Boogiepop Reborn- I can't say I agree with the Stuart PWN'S bit, but Vivi and Sephy do! Don't worry, there's more Kagi on the way!

Karise-Paisley92005- I'm so happy to hear you like my fic! Heh, Ansem is such a screwball, considering he didn't have much of a character in the KH game he's easy to have fun with. Yay for artistic liberties! You fell out of your chair? Ouch… I hope you didn't bruise anything…

K- Glad to see you found Sephiroth's dilemma amusing if your laughter was any indication. Uh, you asked my to review? Review what? Vague directions make Cliched Oxymoron's head go pop. I'm not oxymoron for nothing you know!

Coley- Hi Coley! So you're a fan of FF9? Excellent! Yes Zidane and a few others from FF9 will be joining the story later on. So far Zidane, Kuja, and Maybe Freya for sure. If you have any characters to request I'd be more then happy to consider them! I'm glad you found Sephy's problem so funny, though I'm not sure it's genius… Here's the update! Enjoy!

Phantom Fox- Yep, Poor Sephiroth's molting and miserable. Poor Sephy, the guy has a never-ending well of problems. Ansem as matchmaker…"Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch…." Uh, yeah sorry…

Chany- Hello! Glad you're enjoying it so far! Yes, I'm trying to ad more FF characters. If you have any characters you like to see feel free to make a request!

Yamibakeru- Ack! Typos! Oh noes! I FAIL IT! Ahem… Thanks for letting me know! I'm too lazy to fix them, but since I generally try to reread each chapter so many times as to not miss errors I'm obviously getting lazier! Thank you so much! Feel free to point out any more you see! I can't be mad if you slept through the last two chapters cause you played an awesome game. Heck I'd be guilty of that several times over! I'm sorry to hear you don't think much of FF9, but there will be more FF9 characters in the future. If you'd like to see others from different FF games then please let me know! I don't have a very good grasp of FF8 as I haven't played it yet, and don't read any fanfiction for it. I'm glad you say my readers will support me! It's things like that you reviewers say that is the only reason I have any confidence at all!

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!

Riku groaned and turned over again restlessly. He just could not fall asleep! You'd think he would've been exhausted, what with staying up until the wee hours of the morning last night talking with Sora, walking around the enormous castle of Hollow Bastion all day, and several new meetings. But apparently not, as he was wide awake, staring at the lavish purple canopy over the huge bed in his guestroom.

He groaned and flipped back onto his other side. Who was he kidding? He knew why he was wide-awake. There was simply too much going on to not think about it, regardless if his body lost sleep. First of all, Sora was back. Ansem was back. The Heartless were back. And where on earth did he stand?

Though he was limitlessly happy that his old friend was again by his side, he really didn't know where to go from there. He knew he'd never again leave Sora voluntarily. He was determined to fight by his side, regardless of what horrible creature came after them. He was prepared to die for his friend, suffer torture, and endure trial after trail that may present itself when up against the greatest menace the universe would ever face. What would possess someone to do something like that for someone else?

Oh right. That whole 'being blindly in love' thing. Riku sighed. He knew there was little to no future for him and the Keyblade master, and that was assuming Sora did return his feelings, of which there was even less chance. The odd being named Vivi had said he spoke of him often, but what that meant, if anything, Riku wasn't sure. Not to mention…

Ansem. That name basically summed up most of his problems at the present time. He was still frightened by what that man did to him, could do to others, and had done in the past. And that very same man was one of Sora's closest confidants. That was one thing that really bothered him. He knew Sora's judgment was sound, but the fact remained that Ansem was probably up to something terrible.

Ansem was supposed to help Sora fight the Heartless, which he experimented with, and yet he was as uninformative as you please! Riku knew that he could just be sheltering Sora from some horrific piece of information, but every time he thought of that as a possible explanation it seemed less likely. He wanted Sora to be safe, and even though it seemed impossible, Ansem, with his knowledge and experience was probably the one most equipped to do such a thing. But that still didn't put his thoughts around the platinum haired man at ease. There were too many unknown variables to be able to count on anything.

Like Eclipse. Sora had made mention of the strange creature before, and said that he spoke with it. However, the ominous entity had yet to say a word to Riku, or anyone else other then Sora and Ansem. Sora had said the Eclipse was Ansem's guardian, but what exactly that meant Riku wasn't sure. However, there was something very familiar about that dark specter.

And then there were the Heartless. Before, when he had been corrupted, things were pretty straightforward: you were with the Light and you helped the Keyblade master, or you were with the Darkness and you were slowly consumed by the Heartless. Now, though, Riku had the feeling there was a lot of gray area for Sora. Things he didn't know, things he speculated, things he assumed, and things he simply had to guess at. Whoever had taken up Ansem's banner, Sora was not yet on equal footing with them, and that was one of the most worrisome things of all. He would do anything for Sora, anything in the world.

"Argggh!" Riku groaned as his thoughts ran in another circle. Too much to think about, too many things happening. I wish it were like the old days. When we'd hang out, compete, and of course I was always teasing him. Riku smiled to himself at the flood of fond memories. Now that I think about it, when Sora was younger he really did look adorable with a blush on his face.

Riku was suddenly overcome with a desire to go see his friend. He knew he was in the room right by his, so all he'd have to do was go next door. As he rolled this thought over and over in his mind, he was finding fewer and fewer reasons for him not to go. Hey, if Sora gets all weirded out I can just blame it on the lack of sleep. His mind made up, Riku hauled his tired body out of bed and to the door.

Sora lay awake staring at the canopy over his bed with a glazed expression. He had been like that for hours, deep in thought yet thinking of nothing at all. Most people would call that spacing out. Sora preferred the term 'meditating.'

From the feelings he was getting from Ansem, the man was awake as well. Considering how badly he slept the previous night, it was rather curious.

"Well that, Keyblade Master, is because he's just had a rather needed burst of inspiration."

"Eclipse? Are you back from whatever Ansem sent you after?"Sora asked the guardian curiously.

"Yes. I actually got back quite some time ago; however, I was preoccupied with helping my master try to work around a problem he's currently facing."

"Oh? What's that?" Sora asked curiously. Ansem having a problem was not something he was used to from the normal confidant man.

"I'm sure you'll find out in time." Eclipse answered cryptically, and Sora had the distinct impression that the guardian was grinning.

"Fine then, keep your secrets. However, problem or no problem I'm surprised that you, as his protector, have let him worry himself for hours on end."

"As soon as he gets this out of his system I'm going to drag him to bed. And make him sleep!" Eclipse interjected at the end to cut off any lewd comments Sora was about to make.

"Right. Like I'm going to believe that." Sora told him laughingly.

"Hmph." Was the guardian's only reply. There was a comfortable moment of silence before Sora asked hesitantly:

"Hey Eclipse?"

"Yes?"

"Could I see the conversation you and Riku had? You said you spoke to him when Ansem possessed his body. I'd like to hear what you and he spoke of."There was a pause as Eclipse processed this request, turning it over in his mind.

"This is a rather extreme breach of privacy into Riku's affairs. Hearing his innermost thoughts during such a trying time. However, I know you've been worried about him, and there's nothing terribly embarrassing in that conversation. All right. Hold on a moment." Sora emitted his thanks as he felt his consciousness drawn into Eclipse's memories…

Emotions from Riku flooded the Key master as Eclipse's memory played out. Hurt… Pain… Apprehension… Terror…Hope…Worry…

"You needn't fear." A voice Sora recognized as Eclipse's spoke. "All will be resolved in the end."

"Whose there!" A voice that was undoubtedly Riku's demanded. "What do you want! Who are you!"

"Be still child. I'm not here to harm you. I'm here to make sure you don't fade."

"Fade? What's going on?"

"Don't you remember? A man named Ansem possessed your body. I'm making sure you're spirit doesn't fade away."

"Who are you?"

"That is not important. Keep talking. Things will stay clear."

"Talking to what? To you?" The tone was impetuous.

"If you wish. Talk to anything. Me, yourself, Ansem, Sora, -"

"Sora! What's going on with him? Is he alright?"

"I can show you for a moment." Sora saw flashes of himself and realized this was what Eclipse had showed his friend. Flashes of fighting Ansem, fighting Darkside, and fighting Ansem again. He saw Donald and Goofy taken hostage and then he saw himself start to fall.

"No! Sora! Don't you dare die!" Riku cried out, but his yells went unheard except to Eclipse. He desperately tried another tactic, and his tone changed to playful teasing, though his fear was obvious. "You're giving up already? Come on Sora. I thought you were stronger then that." Sora smiled as he heard the words that had sparked him into action and had ultimately saved his life. So I didn't imagine them. That's nice to know.

"Okay Eclipse. I'm done. That's all I need to see." Sora suddenly found himself staring at the canopy of his bed again.

"I should probably go. Ansem's starting to wind himself down now. I should do something before he gets another idea." Sora chuckled at Eclipse's comment.

"I suppose I'll see you in the morning then. Good night."

"Goodnight Keyblade Master." With that Eclipse's presence was gone from his mind, and if he had never been there, other then the faint whisper of awareness he had from being joined with him and his rather dubious master. Not a moment too soon either, as he heard a hesitant knock on his door.

He got up wearily to answer it, his bones creaking from being in one position for so long. He slowly opened the door to reveal Riku, dressed his raft-covered pajamas, slightly mussed hair, and his hand raised to knock again.

"Riku." Sora sighed. "It's the middle of the night. What do you want."

You. Was the first answer that came to Riku's mind, but that response wouldn't have gone over well he knew. So instead he replied with the next truthful answer.

"I couldn't sleep. I don't know if it's the new bed, or being back at Hollow Bastion but I was wondering if I could maybe sleep with you." Whoops. That came out wrong. Were his thoughts as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

He can't mean that the way it sounded like. Sora thought to himself. No this was, unfortunately, a rather innocent request. So Sora smiled innocently back. "Sure Riku. I understand you must be pretty uncomfortable." He stepped aside to allow entrance to his room. "Come in."

Riku quickly entered at sat down on the edge of the bed, yawning widely.

"So, did you want to talk about something?" Sora asked him quizzically.

"No, I want to go to sleep! But I can't seem to do that." Riku bemoaned his fate. Sora smiled and sat next to him.

"Well your welcome to sleep here if you need company. Just don't steal the covers or kick me off the bed in the middle of the night." Riku, hardly daring to believe his good fortune, nodded eagerly.

Sora smiled again and crawled into the left side, and left Riku to crawl into the right side. There was silence between them for a few minutes, and Sora was just beginning to doze when all of a sudden, there was a rather heavy weight at his side and over his chest.

The poor Keyblade master nearly had a heart attack when he realized that it was Riku who'd securely wrapped himself around Sora and had his silver-haired head atop his friend's chest. Sora knew his whole face was bright red.

"I was cold." Was the only reply Riku gave to his stunned friend, secretly pleased he had managed to see the much-desired blush on the brunet's face.

"You could've gotten an extra blanket." Sora replied, proud he kept his voice calm.

"Too lazy." Riku admitted with a yawn. "'Night Sora."

"'Night Riku." Sora, despite his embarrassing and compromising position, managed a good-natured grin. "Pleasant dreams, my troubled friend." Riku grinned at Sora's answer, quite pleased with himself, into the loose cloth of the Key bearer's sleeping shirt. Oh he would have pleasant dreams considering his position. He just hoped he didn't start moaning Sora's name in his sleep!

Kagi sat, far within his stronghold, deep in thought. For once, there was no mildly amused look on his face. Instead his countenance was one of utter seriousness. His normally empty Heartless-like eyes held a surprising amount of human emotion. However, the Lord of Shadow Bastion's thoughts were interrupted by a not-entirely-unexpected presence just outside his Key-bearing doors.

With a careless flick of his hand the doors flew open revealing a rather beautiful just-under-middle aged woman in her early thirties perhaps. Her features were distorted in the dim light. Kagi immediately developed his usual look of bored amusement.

"Why, my dear Ame. What is it that brings the Queen of Clubs to my humble domain?"

"Knock it off Kagi. I'm not in the mood for your damn attitude." She growled at him. The Heartless eyed man allowed himself a rather self-satisfied grin.

"And the answer to my question?"

"We know Eclipse paid you a visit on the behalf of his master. What exactly did the King of Clubs wish to know?" The woman named Ame demanded.

"Hmm." Kagi didn't respond at first. "Tell me, do you know the King of Clubs? Have you met him?"

"Ansem? Yes of course. I've met all the Lords and Ladies." Ame responded with an air that suggested she didn't want an interrogation, but knew it was the only way to get the King of Hearts to talk.

"What do you think of him? Anything at all." Kagi continued to question.

"He's a little frustrating. Not nearly as much as you are though." Kagi was grinning at this point in Ame's response.

"So you approve of him." Kagi asked, not missing a beat.

"On the whole, yes I do." She replied.

"Do you know what he's been up to lately?"

"Yes, I know the general gist of it."

"Hmm." Kagi didn't say anything for another long moment. "He wanted to know where Sora and Riku will stand, once they come into awareness of who they are."

"I see… Wait! What? Sora I know of, but Riku?" She paused. "Does this, bode ill or well?"

"We don't know yet." Kagi answered quietly. "When it comes to these two boys, I have a feeling we don't know anything." Ame didn't say anything to the King of Hearts for a long moment.

"You know Kagi…" She spoke just as quietly now. "Kieru… Kieru inquired to me about this whole affair as well." Kagi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Her questions, along with my own curiosity were what brought me to you today."

"Kieru wanted to know? She actually asked? If the ice-cold, stony-souled Queen of Spades herself was curious, then things must be getting serious. This is grave news indeed. We no longer can sit back and watch. We need to find out a few things for ourselves." Kagi's voice was stern, his eyes hardened. "We need to know who's behind this."

"How do you propose we do that?"

"Simple. We draw them out. I want you and the Jack of Spades to go and weaken the Heart of Halloween Town." Kagi ordered.

"Why that world?"

"Because it is one of the few worlds closest to Hollow Bastion that hasn't had an attempted invasion. You both should stay on that world, once you alter the state of it's core, and just hope that your presence as well as those two boys will be enough so that this time the culprit finally shows themselves." Kagi growled to himself.

"If it does work and the trouble maker appears, what then? Sora at least and maybe even Riku will-."

"We'll leave Ansem to deal with the fallout."

"That hardly seems fair to him. He's done so much already." Ame pointed out.

"And by the time this is over he'll have done so much more." Kagi grinned in his normally amused way. "You can get to work now Ame. There's much to be done." The woman sighed at the man's rather aggravating form of dismissal, turned on her heel and strode out of the room and into the hall.

"And so the true game begins." Kagi grinned into the shadows of his domain.

A/N: Chapter 14 is dead! Well it's over anyway. Woo hoo! I didn't realize, having not written much for him before, but Kagi is really fun to write! I love that screwball! Don't worry, all will be explained… BUT NOT FOR A LONG TIME! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ame (Japanese) Rain

Kieru (Japanese) Fade