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

"I'll be home when I fulfill my mission." Saïx said. "I'll try to make time to come back so we can spend a day together at the festival."

"Be safe while you're away." Xemnas said as he pulled Saïx into a hug. "Do you have the rations Vexen prepared for you? Your canteen for water?"

"I have everything." Saïx said. He kissed Xemnas on the cheek. "Don't worry so much. Remember, before Aqua moved into the castle and brought me with her, I used to always be in the forest. I even brought Ienzo out there when he was a toddler."

"That was before anyone knew of a siren there and the illusions." Xemnas pointed out. He pulled Saïx close and kissed him on the lips gently. "I'll miss you."

"And I shall miss you." Saïx said. He pulled his pack over his shoulder and nodded before walking away. He felt Xemnas take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze before letting his blue haired lover go.

Xemnas watched Saïx until he couldn't see him any longer. He sighed and leaned against the frame of the door of their base… their home. He didn't even seem to notice Vexen approach him.

"Worry not, for he will be fine." Vexen said.

"Have you ever watched a loved one walk away to their possible death?" Xemnas asked. He saw Vexen give him a look. "Oh yeah." He sighed. "I'll miss him."

"Just make sure he can walk when he returns." Vexen said. He put his hand to his mouth a bit, as if looking a little embarrassed. "I'm surprised he was able to walk this morning."

"I'm not that rough." Xemnas informed the healer of the group. "Am I?"

"Need I remind you when you two first did it?" Vexen asked before walking away.

"Will you stop remembering everything?" Xemnas called after him before chuckling. "I'm going to be stuck with that man until the day I die, I'm sure." He mumbled.

Saïx sighed as he stepped to where the fog was. It was definitely impressive how the magic worked so people could go only so far, only to be faced with the disorienting fog. He sighed before nodding and tightening his grip on his pack.

"Now or never." Saïx told himself. "I have to keep focused… find the siren… find my nephew…" With a nod, he took his first step into the fog and walked on. He made sure to step carefully and not let anything get to his head. He took note of little pools of water before smirking and stepping over them, noting that the fog had caused illusions of pools so as to make people go certain ways, clearly to keep invaders out of the forest.

"Okay, I need to find the lake." He said to himself. "I just need to find it and hope he comes to me." With his mind set, Saïx went through the woods, paying no mind to the illusions that had been cast. He then smiled when he reached the large lake.

Upon seeing the lake, Saïx closed his eyes. He tried to envision what his nephew had gone through that day. Was he injured by the men who had pursued him? Did the siren try to kill him, too? What truly happened that fateful day? He opened his eyes and looked to the lake.

"Trust…" he said. "Got it." Saïx nodded and removed his tunic. He then removed his pants and boots, leaving simple undergarments to cover his groin and bottom. He knew it seemed stupid in a sense, but it was also a good way to try and earn the siren's trust.

Saïx stepped out into the water a bit until he thought he was a good distance. It wasn't too far, just far enough so when he sat down, his shoulders and head were just above the surface. He then closed his eyes and waited, hoping something good would happen… emphasis on good.

Sora decided to swim along the creek with Roxas and Zexion walking near. He decided he would stay in the lake until they returned, waiting for them happily like some sort of housewife. He stopped, though, when he caught a scent. Noticing that the siren stopped, the two humans stopped as well.

"What is it?" Zexion asked.

"Someone's in my lake." Sora said. "It smells like one of the people often with Demyx."

"Great…" Zexion said. "Did it just fall in or…"

"I think that person's there on purpose." Sora said. "You guys head on to town. I'll handle this."

"Be safe, Sora." Roxas said, ruffling Sora's soaked but still noticeably messy hair. He and Zexion then took off in a different direction to avoid the lake and being spotted. Sora on the other hand swam until he reached the lake.

Sora watched from a distance, the fog not even bothering his sight, and looked ahead to where Saïx was sitting in the lake. He could tell this man hadn't noticed him and he could also tell that this man was a member of the Organization. Roxas often talked about members he knew about and what they looked like, and the X shaped scar was the defining feature of this Organization member.

So that's why he wears his hood. He hides his face in town. Sora thought. Like Zexion… so no one knows him for who he is. He nodded. He remembered Roxas telling him that Saïx was personally scarred by Sephiroth's guards so as to mark him for who he was. He just didn't know who he was and why he was marked. Maybe he was important to the royal family? He looks similar to how Zexion described his mother. He mused over the idea.

Cautiously, Sora swam closer. He swam fairly close and without moving the water much and watched the man up close. He then splashed him with his tail and swam off to be a safe distance from him.

"What?" Saïx yelped, opening his eyes and looking around. He then looked to see Sora in the water, watching closely and not even raising his entire head above the surface. "You're the siren, aren't you? Sora is what you're called?" Sora just glared and blew bubbles to show his frustration. Saïx only sighed in response.

"I don't know how to convince you that I mean no harm." The blue haired man said. "I figured if I just sat here, it would mean something. But I guess after the run-in you had with a few members of the Organization, I can't exactly blame you for being distant and untrusting. Then again… with what a friend told me your kind had gone through… I don't blame you one bit."

Sora watched Saïx skeptically. He wasn't sure what game the man was playing, but he listened anyway. He raised up a bit, showing his whole head, and let his tail splash some water behind him. He tilted his head to the side, wondering what he would say next.

"I had been hoping you would be one to help me." Saïx said. "I heard a siren had been where my nephew was last seen… I had hoped you were the siren that saw him. If it helps, his name is Ienzo. Or was… I don't even know if he's still alive… it's been thirteen years."

Sora put his head mostly back into the water and gently used his tail to propel himself toward Saïx. He went near him, close enough to touch the human that dared to enter his lake so willingly. He reached over and gently touched Saïx's stomach, seeming both pleased and wary that he didn't even flinch. He wasn't sure what game he was playing, or if he was honestly trying to earn the siren's trust to find the prince.

"Your nephew?" Sora inquired, raising his head enough to speak to Saïx.

"Oh, you do speak." Saïx said. "I was worried I would make myself seem like a fool in talking when I wouldn't get an answer." He then nodded slowly. "Yes. My sister, Queen Aqua, had a son who she named Ienzo… he went missing the day the kingdom was taken over and my sister along with her husband were killed." He looked to Sora, his golden eyes looking soft and full of hope. "You did save him, right?"

Sora thought a bit. He wasn't sure what he should say, but he decided to say some things about the matter. "The men were tormenting him in my lake... putting his head in, letting him almost drown, yank him up, and repeat. They would have continued…but I got their attention." He explained. He splashed his tail a little bit. "I got rid of them so they wouldn't hurt him. I then let him live."

"What happened after that?" Saïx inquired.

"I led him to safety." Sora said. "He said what happened, I let him be safe." He sighed. "Look, I don't trust you enough…"

"Then I'll need to earn your trust… no matter how long it takes. I'll do anything just to know what happened to my nephew and that he's safe." Saïx said.

Sora smiled, liking Saïx's drive to see Zexion again. He then pulled himself onto Saïx's lap and nudged him with his head. If he could easily be touched without feeling any ill will from Saïx, then it was a good start. Saïx was shocked at first but he soon relaxed and leaned back a bit.

"I'm called Saïx." He said.

"Sora. But you knew that already." The siren said. "Who were you before Saïx?" Saïx looked down to him. "I heard you guys lose your names in the Organization… go by new ones…"

"Isa." Saïx said. "My name was Isa. It was a play-on to ice, which matched the icy blue that was my hair and apparently even as a baby, I had an ice cold stare." Sora giggled. "We give up our names in the Organization… we symbolically die and become someone new to fight against corruption. Sorry about the others, by the way. Marluxia's social skills aren't always the best and Xigbar and Xaldin are a bit too rough at times."

"Well, no serious harm… I'm sure that pink haired guy is still feeling the bite." Sora said. Saïx laughed at that idea. "Hm… maybe if we talk more… I'll tell you more about what you want to know."

"Well, at least we're getting somewhere with that." Saïx said. "So… where do we start?"

"Did you live in the palace, too?" Sora began.