Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.


Vexen looked over the samples under a microscope, even adding little drops of the residue to healthy blood, seeing how it reacted with the different samples. He even got a sample of blood from Cloud; he may have been called a hybrid now, but at that base, he was the only human with the dormant disease.

"Healthy human, healthy llarcloa, infected human-ish…"

"Human-ish?" Zexion looked up from his notes. "What?"

"Well, born human, but the llarcloa refer to changed humans as hybrids." Vexen said. "So… human-ish." He shrugged. "Anyway, Zexion, here." He motioned to the microscope. "Tell me what you see as I drop the residue into the different samples." Zexion nodded and went over.

Zexion looked in, seeing which sample was which, taking notice that human blood and llarcloa blood actually differed slightly.Good reason for them to not use their blood when transfusions were needed after the explosion. He thought. He watched as the drops hit each sample. Healthy samples showed slight darkness to the blood; in the human blood, it barely spread and in the llarcloa blood, it disappeared. So, people without the disease either just have it there and it'll clean itself out or in the llarcloa, it just gets destroyed. He then watched the infected blood, how it spread and turned the samples black.

"The residue is the cause of the revival of the disease?" Zexion inquired, looking stunned. "It affects the blood… but how… no… through the lungs or any injuries… that's how it had to have gotten in."

"Indeed." Vexen nodded. "Now, Sora's blood is starting to fight it due to his healing capabilities and even Cloud's is trying. Llarcloa and Cloud heal naturally fast." He sighed. "But if I were to test it on Kadaj's blood, but I can't since he's still at Marluxia's base, it'll definitely consume the blood and spread, like the disease does in those with it."

"So, we need to figure out what Xehanort did to make this thing..." Zexion sighed.

"Way ahead of you." Vexen stated. "He had samples of infected blood most likely and had them separated. He probably had the magic in the explosion send the separated infection around to infect those who had it dormant." He smiled. "Keeping that in mind, I think I can actually look into things further and come up with a way to completely eradicate this disease… fully cure Kadaj, Cloud, and Roxas and Sora… and everyone else with it." He got up. "I'm going to report my findings to Sephiroth and Xemnas."

"I'll go back to Sora and Xion, let them know of this." Zexion smiled and dipped his head before leaving the room. He went to the watchtower, certain Sora would be there while not treating patients. Unsurprisingly, he was there and with their group of friends.

"Did you hear the news?" Axel inquired.

"One of the medics told us when they came by to drop off the samples from the explosion." Zexion responded, smiling happily. He sat down with them. "Dad thinks he could find a way to actually cure the disease that Sora, Kadaj, Roxas, Cloud, and so many others have."

"Really?" Sora perked up, his ears erect and twitching.

Zexion nodded. "I think he's glad you noticed the darkness to part of Zack's blood." he stated. "And he was running tests with the samples. So, hopefully he can figure something out."

"It's good that everything is turning out well!" Xion cheered. She then smiled at Riku and Sora, the latter curled up with his mate, tail slowly swishing back and forth. "And with peace on the way, you two will be able to raise your children in a better world."

"That would definitely nice." Riku said in soft tone, almost as though as he was in pure bliss, though he probably was. He learned that morning that Sora did conceive. He was in shock at first, even he admitted it, but dammit, he was excited. He was going to be a father with someone he found himself to love so much. "So… do you know if we'll have twins?"

"I don't know that soon." Sora giggled. "That won't be for some months."

"They make a cute couple." Axel chuckled. He then put his harm around Roxas' shoulders. "What do you think? Think we'd make a cute couple, too?" He moved out of the way before he got another scratch. "Okay, not yet."

"He's persistent… is he like this with everyone he fancies?" Roxas inquired.

"Wouldn't know; haven't seen him have a crush on anyone." Riku chuckled. He laughed more when Roxas just crossed his arms and huffed, clearly not happy with the redhead.

Sora smiled before his ears twitched anxiously. "Hmm?" He got up and looked over the edge. "Roxas, you hear that?"

Roxas was up as quickly as Sora. "Yeah..."

"Hear what?" Demyx inquired, standing up with the others.

"It's a strange sound..." Sora stated. "Like… loud roaring."

"Roaring?" Xion inquired. "Like on the ground?" She tipped her head to the side. "Well, there's a train track in that direction." She pointed to the north.

"No… it's in the sky and coming from the south." Sora's tail started to bristle; next to him, Roxas' also bristled and started twitching in an agitated state.

"From the sky? That's..." Zexion looked to be in disbelief before something came into view and in the sky. "Oh shit..." he swore. He ran to the stairs. "Get down from there!" he called to his friend before descending the stairs, setting off the alarms to alert the others of an incoming enemy.

"Huh? What is that?" Roxas asked before yelping when Axel grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

"An airship; it was just a concept for us, but it looks like the south beat us to it!" Axel quickly responded, getting Roxas down the steps before making sure Demyx and Xion were following. He looked back to see Riku move to get there, but a loud sound exploded in the air, a sound that could deafen thunder. Something hit the fortress and the tower started falling. "Riku! Sora!"

Riku let out a few words before taking hold of Sora, holding onto him and part of the tower. "Hold on, Sora, we're going for a ride!" he called as part of the tower came from the main structure, falling away and down to the roof of the rest of the base. He grunted when they crashed and grappled at the roof, trying to catch hold of something. He let out a sigh of relief when they were dangling at the edge. "Whew, that was close. Think you can grab onto the edge yourself? I'm slipping with just one hand."

"Yeah." Sora nodded, doing as asked and pulling himself up before helping Riku. "Roxas… is he okay?"

"Yeah, Axel most likely got him down the stairs in time." Riku assured. "Down!" He got on top of Sora as another shot rang out, sending debris flying.

"Riku… what… what is it?" Sora asked, not liking the object flying in the sky.

"An airship. Our people have been trying to make them as more efficient travel than trains… but… it looks like the south built one for war…" Riku responded. He covered Sora more when another shot came through and smashed into the base, making the wall under Riku and Sora crumble, sending them down into the ground.

"Ow… ow… fuck..." Riku grumbled, trying to sit up. He then looked in shock as ropes came down from part of the airship and from it soldiers slid down. "Ah fuck!" He pulled Sora to his feet and ran off. As much as he wanted to check on everyone else, he knew he had to get Sora away from there and away from the enemy. He didn't even dare to look back when he heard someone call about Sora, the beastly brat as they put it, was getting away.

"Riku..." Sora whined, fearing they wouldn't outrun them.

"We'll do our best!" Riku assured Sora. He went down when a shot rang out, this one not quite like what the airship sounded off. No. It had to be a gun. "Fuck!" Riku hissed, holding his leg.

"Riku!" Sora called, kneeling beside him. He saw the wound. Through and through. No bullet was stuck in him.

"Get going, Sora. They're after you." Riku told him.

"I'm not leaving you." Sora said, positioning himself over Riku's leg. He mumbled a spell, getting the wound to heal.

"Dammit, Sora! We don't have time to argue! You need to be safe, so get moving!" Riku ordered, trying to push Sora away but his llarcloa lover wouldn't budge. "Sora..." He looked around, seeing them quickly surrounded by soldiers; judging by their uniforms, they were definitely from the south. He pulled Sora down and covered him.

"Hand him over, boy." one soldier stated, aiming a gun at the silver haired male.

"Like hell I would!" Riku hissed. He then blacked out when another soldier came up behind him, smashing the but of their gun into the back of Riku's head.

"Riku? Riku!" Sora was on his knees, shaking his mate. "Riku, wake up. You need to wake up, Riku!" He yelped and squealed when he was grabbed hold of, kicking and flailing. "No! No! Let me go!" He stop when he saw a gun pointed at Riku again.

"Comply and we won't shoot him." the first soldier stated. They smirked when Sora settled down. "Good boy. Now let's go, Xehanort's got some big plans for you."

Riku… please be okay… and please… please come find me… Sora thought, tears rolling down his face. He as Riku came to be out of his view, the llarcloa youth brought to a lift and taken up to the airship. Wanting to protect the others, he didn't fight, no matter how much he wanted to."


Heyo, lovelies!

What's a story without something bad happening, right? At least they didn't kill Riku.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next. Until then!

~chibi