Brightness and Darkness
Chapter 11: An Odd Family Reunion

Pairings: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and maybe Sora/Riku

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed chapter ten. This chapter may contain some weird ass themes, so don't be freaked out. With that out the way, on to chapter 11! Oh, and thanks to BulmaMonster for mentioning this, but in the last chapter, Riku was in the dungeon without his blindfold and could see the orb. Reason being is because the dungeon hardly has any light in it, not to mention his eyesight has improved for the most part, but really bright lights still hurt.

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While Kaze and Cloud were having their little "family bonding" time, elsewhere in Hollow Bastion, a certain red head was about to get the answers she was looking for.

"Well, let me start from the beginning…"

Mickey's somber, serious tone reached Kairi's ears. She watched the king sigh heavily before looking up at her.

"It was about…three years ago. Riku and Sora had finally defeated the forces of darkness, with the help of everyone here, of course. We celebrated with a huge party, right here at Hollow Bastion. Of course, the two didn't want to stay. Sora wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible. After everyone said their good-byes, Sora and Riku stood ready to call on the power of the two keyblade's to send them home, but we were attacked."

Yuffie frowned at the memories of the past. She remembered both Riku and Sora being in such a rush to get back to their home, Destiny Island. But as soon as the Heartless had attacked, both keybearers' hopes had been shattered and thrown into the wind.

Kairi stared at the mouse, vexed. Her emotions were bottled up in her throat, and she would not voice her opinion. Not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't trust her voice. She felt that at any moment, a cry would emit from her throat. She nodded at Mickey, saying that he could continue.

Mickey cleared his throat before continuing, "We hadn't expected an attack, much less, an attack from the Heartless. It was all so sudden that Riku and Sora's concentration was knocked off. We told them several times to just leave and return home, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted on helping us fight them. As soon as one ship of Heartless was destroyed, three more returned in its place. It was an all out war."

Aerith, sensing King Mickey's discomfort, took over for him, "Everyone fought hard, but the Heartless just kept coming. We were all mentally, and physically exhausted by the time the mother ship arrived. And in the end, Riku and Sora decided that they wanted to protect us."

Leon's deep voice sounded after Aerith's, "Just as the last wave hit, Riku and Sora took off in the Gummi Ship at full speed. Cloud and I didn't have time to stop them. They blasted off, right into the center of the Heartless."

The whole world around Kairi seemed to slow down and stop momentarily. Sora and Riku had sacrificed themselves to the Heartless in order to save everyone else in this world and the next. She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook in light tremors.

"Oh God…it's not true," Kairi whispered. Her head shot up, tears streaming down her face. "Tell me it's not true! Riku and Sora…they can't be…not when they each have a child waiting…"

Before anyone, particularly Yuffie could utter a single 'huh' or 'what', Aerith jumped straight up out of her chair; her emerald green eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Leon, Yuffie, and Kairi.

"Someone's in the castle," Aerith spoke softly. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. "In the Dark Depths. Cloud and Kaze are there too. I can sense Sephiroth's nasty KI, but I can't quite make out who the--oh god…"

"What?" Yuffie screamed. "Who is it?!"

Aerith looked deathly pale the moment she opened her mouth, "Ansem."

It didn't take two seconds for Kairi's tears to dry up. She jumped off the hospital bed and looked at Aerith, "You said the Dark Depths, right?"

Aerith nodded, "Yeah, but Kairi. You can't--"

"Don't you DARE tell me what I can and cannot do," Kairi, while still looking at the others, grabbed the knob and opened the door. Aerith's mouth froze midway to object, but Kairi's slick comment halted her. "You can come along with me if you wish, but someone needs to stay and protect his majesty."

Yuffie blew a long whistle and jammed her hands in the pockets of her jumper. Leon, with a smug expression, folded his arms across his chest and looked at Kairi defiantly. He didn't dare want to stop Kairi if she was so determined to be the tragic hero.

Aerith seemed to be the only one to protest, but she didn't make her opinion heard. She gave an inquiring look to King Mickey, who simply frowned and nodded. Aerith looked back to Kairi, tight lipped.

When Kairi sensed that no one would get in her way, seeing as though they made no move to stop her, she rushed out the door quickly.

"Oh well, it's her neck!" Yuffie said brightly as though the whole thing was some kind of gag.

Leon, after a moment's thought, said, "Let's go."

"Go?" Yuffie said, eyes wide. "Go where?"

"Follow Kairi, you ignoramus. Now."

"B-But," Yuffie spluttered. "Why should we get in the way?"

"To make sure," King Mickey spoke up, "that our dear princess does not end up in a casket anytime soon."

Leon raised an eyebrow to Yuffie, who abhorred the idea of tagging behind Kairi like a little Labrador.

"Oh…fine," Yuffie huffed, puffing up her face so as to make her resemble a little child. Leon had a smug, satisfied smile on his face. He glanced next at Aerith, whose face was lined with apprehension. She weighed the thought of having Kairi's body being shoved into the soil, or to face Cloud again.

"You guys go," she said. "I'll stay here with the king. It's best if I do so," When they gave her funny looks, she added. "Go, you might lose her!"

Only minutes after Kairi's foot stepped out of the door, Leon bolted after the red head, and Yuffie followed shortly, almost knocking over a table on her way out. Aerith stayed with King Mickey as negotiated. It was better than getting in the way of everyone else. Especially Cloud.

-

"You can't even greet your own father?" The man sneered, enjoying his daughter pale in comparison. Kaze stood, open mouthed, at the man she used to know: Her father, Ansem.

Cloud was quick to react, drawing his Buster Sword out, but the cold tip of a long, slim blade at his throat stopped him.

"Freeze, Strife, or I'll cut your Adam's Apple up like an egg," he breathed, getting a kick out of controlling Cloud for once.

Cloud glowered at the man, resentment lining his face, but did not retaliate.

"Touch her and you are dead, bastard!" he yelled to Ansem, who crept closer to Kaze.

"You have no power here, Strife," Ansem said with a wicked smile. "I DO."

-

Kairi dashed and occasionally stumbled her way to the Dark Depths, Leon and a reluctant Yuffie on her tails.

Leon stopped suddenly, having a blissfully oblivious Yuffie slam into him hard from behind. He fell over, attracting the attention of Kairi, who also was standing around with a dumbstruck look on her face. Usually the portal would be there for anyone's disposal, but it refused to show up.

Leon bucked Yuffie off of him, causing her to flatten her face on the gravel.

"So much for going incognito," her muffled voice said.

"I know what you're trying to do!" Kairi yelled, backing up. "But it's not going to work!"

"Kairi, unless you want to end up breaking something you already have less of now, don't do anything drastic," Leon warned, getting to his feet and approaching Kairi slowly.

"BACK OFF!" Kairi screeched, a keyblade appearing in her hands in a flash of light.

Leon halted in his steps, eyeing the keyblade warily. It wasn't such a good time to be defenseless with someone like Kairi waving a weapon around.

But, instead of attempting to attack Leon, she raised the keyblade in the air and bellowed clearly for all to hear, "PORTAL OPEN!"

A round, small swirling portal appeared at Kairi's waistline. It was far too constricting for Leon; Yuffie could probably force her way in, but Kairi's narrow body could fit exactly. Without pretense, she squeezed herself in. With a pop, the portal vanished.

Leon glared at Yuffie who unglued her lips from the pavement.

"Thanks genius," he muttered. "She's gone."

"What are we going to do now?"

"Unless there is a flight conveniently in the next two minutes into the Dark Depths, we aren't going anywhere," Leon said, dripping with sarcasm.

-

Kaze didn't even remotely flinch, as he was inches from her. Tentatively, he reached out a hand to brush her coarse hair out of her eyes. Oddly enough, she felt almost as though she was longing his touch, wanting him to embrace her as he used to. But her other sensible side knew better, and slapped his hand away after letting it linger too long.

Hissing, he drew away his hand, looking into the face of his frightening livid daughter. Cloud was still under the restraint of Sephiroth, who was eyeing Kaze with an almost salacious look to his eye.

"What's the matter, you don't want me to touch you? I am your father after all."

"Thanks for the fucking reality check, you fucking abhorrent little prick!"

Unexpected out of Ansem, he smacked her firmly with his outstretched hand. Kaze, who was numb to his slap, only hung her head limp to the other side.

"Watch your language, little one. You don't want to cross me, now do you?"

Cloud balled his fist up and attempted to charge for Ansem, but Sephiroth roughly shoved him back, causing him to fall to the ground, and placed his sword tip to where Cloud's legs made a V.

Cloud looked wide-eyed at where Sephiroth held the sword.

"Try something now, and you'll be castrated here and now," he spat.

"Bastard, 'castrate' my nuts!" Cloud growled.

"With pleasure," Sephiroth said smoothly.

Kaze cracked her head into place and scowled at her father, "Don't do anything Cloud, I got it."

"Good girl, it's wise of you not to cause four people to die tonight, right?"

Kaze defiantly spat in his face. Her mucus left a slimy trail down the bridge of Ansem's nose. Before he could requite her attack, a flash of light, and Kairi's tumbling figure, showed up unexpectedly.

She rolled over Sephiroth's feet, who momentarily moved the sword away from Cloud's genitals. Glaring at her reproachfully, he placed the sword tip to her cheek and twisted it slightly.

Kairi winced, and yelled out, "I'll kill you, you bastard!"

Ansem drawled, "How touching. One more death that you'll be responsible for, Kaze."

"Eat me!" She threw out strongly.

"I thought I did," he said lightly, making Kaze ashen with fury.

Cloud, watching Sephiroth's prying eyes on Kairi, took the opportunity to swing his foot out and kick Sephiroth in his balls. Sephiroth groaned, releasing Kairi from his assault on her cheek, and doubled over in pain.

"Ha, my nuts are still in tact, you silver-haired fuck!" Cloud bellowed in his ear. He slid to Kairi's side and stretched out his hand.

"Eat mine," Sephiroth managed to gasp out.

"Grow some!" he threw back, helping Kairi to her feet. A small, bleeding sore was protruding from her cheek.

"Enough with all of this eating nonsense," Ansem said, feigning disgust. "We have plenty of time to focus on that later," he added with a look to Kaze. Kaze growled and clutched her fists tightly.

"Ansem, you're going to pay for this!" Kairi said powerfully. He scoffed and turned his nose up to Kairi.

"A scrawny little thing like you will bring me to my knees? I don't bend for women, they bend for me."

"Stop acting more perverted than you already are you fucking coward!" Kaze bit out.

"Too late," Cloud said with disdain.

"You know, this doesn't feel… right," Ansem said, clicking his tongue. "We need to make this a real get-together. Get to your feet you pathetic worm," he said cruelly to Sephiroth. He rose, still clutching his sac.

"Do it now," he said.

Panting slightly, Sephiroth rose a hand to summon a portal and fled out of sight.

"I wonder how long he'll fare with one nut," Cloud said with some satisfaction.

"Quiet, Strife," Ansem said. "You have plenty of time to run that foul mouth of yours. At least wait until our guests arrive."

-

"Kioko, will you quit howling!" Laiktu yelled as Kioko's cries were wearing on his ears and nerves.

Sora and Riku, meanwhile, were cowering in the back, their hands over their ears.

"Kid!" Riku said, obviously meaning Laiktu. "Shut her up!"

"My name's not KID!" Laiktu yelled over Kioko's wails. Snapping at last, he smacked Kioko over the head. Kioko squeaked loudly and closed her mouth at last.

"Thank you," Riku muttered.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for the sake of hearing out of both of my ears!"

Sora looked between the two with a disapproving expression on his face. For a father and son, the love they were supposed to share was alarmingly absent.

"Listen you--" Riku began, but a blinding light stopped him from continuing. Shielding his eyes Riku plastered himself up on the wall.

Sora, Kioko, and Laiktu all closed their eyes until the bright flash disappeared. The light, however, was replaced with a cold, unwelcome voice.

"Don't move!"

Before anyone could question the orders, or as to who gave them, the voice muttered a spell, and the four of them slumped down to the ground, apparently sleep. Apparently sleep-- with the absence of their souls. Four separate whips of light all zoomed towards the slouching figure of Sephiroth, who trapped them within a glass case. And with that, he vanished again inside a portal.

-

"We didn't get her," Leon sighed loudly.

"What happened?" Aerith asked to a sulky Leon.

"Thanks to Ms. Train Wreck slamming into me," he said with a glare at Yuffie, who weakly chuckled, "We lost her to a portal."

"Well, isn't the portal to the Dark Depths still there?" Aerith asked.

"Sealed up for some reason, can't get in," Leon said bitterly. "That keyblade saved her ass at the last moment, because she surely wouldn't have taken off if I had my Gunblade."

Yuffie uttered what sounded like a "Yeah, right." Leon glared at her witheringly.

"This is bad," Aerith said in a low voice. "This really is bad. What are we going to do, your majesty?"

"I…don't know," King Mickey said in a voice that sounded defeated. "I don't know."

-

"Master," Sephiroth said wheezing as he reappeared in the Dark Depths, still clutching his ball sack, "I have them."

It was little movement while Sephiroth was gone, fetching something for his "master." As to what was beyond Kaze, but she knew it wasn't going to be good. Cloud and Kairi stood anxiously in their spots, watching on.

"Ah," Ansem said, glowing with pleasure. "Release them."

"Release what?" Kaze asked.

"You will find out, sweetheart," he said to Kaze, simpering, making her wince.

Sephiroth opened a glass case he was carrying with his other free hand with what appeared to be balls of light. The mass of light separated, however, into four individual wisps of light as soon as they were freed. Kaze looked in horror as the distorted images began to come into focus.

"Mom?" Laiktu asked, his voice hauntingly distant.

"Laiktu?" Kaze said, and tried to rush to his side, but Ansem held her back. She wriggled out of his grip.

Laiktu wasn't the only one who caught Kaze's eye: Riku, too stunned and confused to speak at first, stood in the back. Aquamarine and ice blue gazed into one another.

"K-Kaze?" he stuttered. His eyes weren't playing tricks on him, at least he hoped not. Kaze's beautiful goddess-like form was standing a couple of feet in front of him. He wanted to go to her and take her in his arms, but would not. He knew she didn't care, and that hurt worse than any torture.

"Riku?" Kaze whispered uncertainly. What she was facing was too horrifying to bear. She had not expected to see Riku so soon. He looked as good as the night she last saw him. His hair was probably a couple of inches longer, but his eyes – oh those eyes – they shown brightly.

Kairi, meanwhile, was struggling from Cloud's tight grip, to get to the unclear image of Kioko, who was crying her mother's name mournfully.

"MOMMY!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Kairi said, weakly trying to fight off Cloud's tight grip. "LET ME GO!"

"Kairi!" Sora said, his voice also sounding from far away. She was beautiful, an angel in his eyes. Her hair was a sheen cape of red cascading behind her. Those soft blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears. He wanted so badly to take her right then and there, but decided that being perverted was his forte.

"SORA!" Kairi cried after staring into the eyes of the man who has captured her heart all of these years. By the Gods, he was as sexy as ever - that shaggy brown hair and glowing sapphire eyes. His body had grown from a teenager to a man. His muscles were more defined and the red head wonder if anything else had grown along with his body. Before Kairi's perverted mind could take a step further, a scream interrupted her thoughts.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Kaze yelled at her father.

"Thanks to my faithful servant, Sephiroth," Ansem began in a smug voice, "This whole little reunion was made possible."

"You see, this is your little family. Their sprits, that is, snatched from their bodies, once again thanks to Sephiroth. They can return to their bodies, but do anything out of line, they shall never sleep in their skin again."

Kairi resisted escaping and looked at her daughter and lover in tears. Kaze's grip on her fist became tighter.

"That's better," Ansem said, satisfied. Unexpectedly, he approached his and planted a wet, lengthy kiss onto her cheek.

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF HER!" Riku yelled, his oddly remote voice echoing through the Dark Depths.

Ansem detached his lips from Kaze's cheek. She didn't hit him out of the sheer safe return of her son's soul back in its body.

"I've had her longer than you," he whispered to Riku. "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do. You'll be surprised at what I've done."

"SHUT UP!" Kaze screeched, approaching Ansem with a shaking fist. "You even BREATHE a word of what you did--"

"Ah, ah, ah," Ansem said, shaking a finger. "Remember what happens when you get too unruly." He pointed to Laiktu, a beam of purple light emitting from his finger. In an instant, Laiktu cried out and doubled over as it became harder and harder to see him clearly.

"LAIKTU!" Kaze cried. "STOP WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU ARE DOING TO HIM!"

"ANSEM, KNOCK IT OFF!" Riku bellowed.

"Oh that?" Ansem said lightly, still holding his finger into place. "That's a repercussion of what happens when you cut up. I keep this up for another good minute or so, and his soul will go to oblivion."

"STOP IT, STOP IT!" Kaze screamed over and over again as her son continued to scream.

"LAIKTU!" Kioko wailed.

"Promise to behave?" Ansem asked a livid Kaze.

"Yes," she said through clenched teeth. "Now let him GO!"

"Kaze, your KI," Kairi whispered fearfully as Kaze began to tremble and glow black. "Watch it…"

Ansem, smiling, released Laiktu from the torture of what lied in his finger. Laiktu panted and slumped to the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Laiktu said sharply.

"Watch it kid, or you'll get more," Ansem said coldly.

"If this is supposed to be a family reunion, this is some fucked up gathering!" Cloud spat out, holding a trembling Kairi in his arms.

"Oh, but don't you see, Cloud? This is one big, happy," he put major stress on happy as everyone including Cloud was giving him dirty looks, "family. I mean, you have Kaze, Riku, and her foul mouthed child," he said, indicating the image of Laiktu getting to his feet.

"Fuck you buddy," Laiktu said.

"And then you have Kairi, Kioko…and let's see…oh yes! Sora."

The shocking news hit Kioko like a ton of bricks. She rose her index finger and pointed at Kairi, Sora, and herself. She looked around confusingly for a minute for someone to say something, but all she got was a wicked laughter from Ansem and Sephiroth, a stunning look from Sora, Kairi's pleading eyes, Kaze and Riku's ice cold gaze, and Laiktu's mixed expression of pain and confusion that usually read 'I don't know what the fuck he's talking about, but I'm in some hella pain'.

"He's…my daddy?" Kioko said, clearly shocked at this tidbit of news.

Sora didn't look completely astonished. He had, more or less, got all of the information from Ansem not too long ago. He knew that Kioko was Kairi's daughter, but realization didn't dawn on him that she was his daughter as well. But he had no doubts this was too much for Kioko to handle.

"Of course child," Ansem said in a horribly sweet voice, creeping closer to Kioko. "He looks just like…you," he said as his hand went straight through Kioko's chin. She shuddered and began to weep.

"Well, it was no surprise!" Kairi bit out, but Sora's solemn face and Riku's flabbergasted own told her otherwise. "I-I mean the majority…"

"I…didn't…know," Sora said softly. "Honest, I didn't Kairi, I only found out hours ago."

"You're the only one I've slept with, you lazy bum!" she cried. "How could you even think she belonged to someone else?!"

"I…I don't know," Sora said, very upset. He had doubted that Kairi was still faithful to him. He tried to deny that he wasn't of any relation to Kioko. But he couldn't any longer.

"Kioko, don't cry," he said softly. What would have taken Kioko hours to settle down happened in a second. Obviously, she trusted Sora enough to obey him.

Riku's gaze went from between Kaze and Ansem, searching for some answers. His curiosity got the best of him, "What I still don't understand is how you know so much about Kaze!" He screamed at the man.

"Well, my unconfirmed son-in-law," Ansem began with a wicked smile. "I'm her father."

The whole tranquil state of the Dark Depths erupted with yells.

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Author's Note: Well, a nice and long chapter for you guys! I hope everyone enjoyed chapter 11! THANK YOU, SILVER! She came back! I thought she had disappeared for a long time, but I called her and she came online and helped me. She's my sister/lawyer/attorney/beta. HEHEHE! I love my sis! Now, I don't know when chapter 12 will be up, but it will be up soon, I hope. gets back to watching her Gundam Wing DVDs

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Harry2: No, no kamehameha's in this fic. lol. But there will be some nice KI battles later on.

VixettaremIx: Kaze's story gets better in the next chapter, believe me. I'm glad you've enjoyed this fic! I hope you continue to enjoy it. Yeah, Sora kinda said the wrong words there. Sorry for the Sephiroth abuse in this chappie. blushes It's just so much fun to pick on him. Tee hee.

Anime-Master7: Angst isn't the right word to use once I get near the end of the fic.

Kintora: Counting on me may not be a good idea. Laiktu's smart. He's not an idiot who uses foul language. He's a genius who uses colorful language. Hehe. The father/daughter scene wasn't as good as I had wanted it to be, I hope it was okay. Yeah, harassing emails usually get me up and going. Thanks for it, by the way!

AngelJade: I will keep giving you guys more if you guys keep reviewing. Thanks for the support, I need it.

Darkmonkey/Sora'sAma9: You changed your penname too much, youngin. Lol. I'm ecstatic to know that you're happy I updated. You can write as well as you want to write. "You're your own worst critic." That's my writing modo.

AeRiSdOnO: I updated! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you did the last one.

classengurl: You were waiting for the faithful reunion, huh? Everyone was waiting for that one. Like I've said several times before hand, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll write more if you guys keep reviewing.

kazeofmemory: My writing style isn't that good, is it?

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Next Chapter: Ansem makes a deal with Kaze and Kairi that may very well endanger the future of everyone the know and love. Will they accept or deny Ansem's proposal. Stay tuned!