Yup, you guessed it. I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.

Sephiroth chuckled a bit as he sat on his throne. "Oh, how interesting." He said.

"Sire?" A guard with blonde hair named Cloud looked to the king. "If I may be so bold as to ask… what has you amused?"

"The brat may have been back home where he doesn't belong." Sephiroth said. "Oh, I can just imagine him in my grasp… put to public execution to snuff out the rest of the light and hope for the return of their beloved and missing prince." He smirked. "What do you think, Cloud?"

"I am not one to say. I'm just a guard and just live to protect you and the princes." Cloud said.

"Well said." Sephiroth stated. "Well said."

Riku had been listening, wanting to go talk to his father, but didn't go in. He then ran off and went to his room where Axel was reading a book of poems, hoping to help his friend with coming up with something for Sora. He then plopped down by his redheaded friend.

"What if Zexion is the prince?"

"What?" Axel looked perplexed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"We've never seen his hair… his full face… he keeps hidden…doesn't let us see his home… lives with two others… ran off after seeing my father…" Riku looked concerned. "Zexion could be the missing prince."

"If he is, why hadn't he overthrown your father?" Axel asked. "Well?"

"I…. I don't know." Riku said. "Maybe… he knows if he doesn't do this right, Father will kill him…" He sighed. "Axel… I don't want Father to kill him."

"Hey, maybe things will go well." Axel assured. "Don't worry so much."

"Yeah… I'll try not to…" Riku said. "But if he is the prince… then maybe… things can go back to normal." He then let out a saddened sigh.

"What's your problem this time?" Axel asked.

"Sora's almost always with Zexion."

"Yeah, and?"

"If Zexion is the prince… he'll be executed… Sora along with him for being an ally." Riku said. Axel practically froze. "Roxas too…"

"Fuck…"

"You're moping again, little brother." Vexen pointed out as he prepared tea again, this time for both of his siblings and Xemnas since they were all there. "Let's see… something's eating you, Larxene is having mood swings due to her pregnancy and scared off Marluxia again, and Xemnas is moody because Saïx isn't home. Goodness…"

"You know… you're more like a mother than a brother." Larxene said. She then thanked him for the tea and sipped it. "Dem, what's got you so down?"

Demyx chuckled. "Well, Vexen did practically raise us." He told Larxene. "Anyway… we saw Sephiroth earlier… Zexion acted really concerned or something… like… he was afraid of him…" He sighed. "I'm worried. If Zexion really is Prince Ienzo, what if he's too afraid to stand up to Sephiroth?"

"Fear is a rational thing." Vexen said. "He will need to learn to conquer it one day and understand he is not alone through it."

"But… What if Sephiroth figured out the same thing I did? What if he thinks Zexion is also Prince Ienzo? He'll send his guards after him the first chance he gets and kill him!" Demyx whined. "I don't want him to die, Vexy!"

"Demyx, settle down." Xemnas ordered, but in a gentle tone. "Saïx is off earning the trust of the siren in hopes to get to him and protect him. It will be fine. Things will go our way."

"But… what if Sephiroth misjudges and he and I are both wrong and Zexion still dies? What if he's not the prince and he still faces the same fate as all the others who tried to oppose him?" Demyx continued. He sighed and rested his head on the table. He didn't even smile when Larxene reached over and stroked his hair to comfort him. "I want all this suffering to end…"

"One day it will." Xemnas assured. "Is Zexion always in the market?"

"Almost. Some days he misses out… he tells me it's because something happened and the fish aren't there to be caught." Demyx said. "He may miss more if Sora's busy with Saïx and working on the trust thing…"

"Then next time you see him, tell him to stay safe and not to let Sephiroth's men see him." Xemnas said. "If he asks why…"

"I can tell him that there are suspicions that Sephiroth wants him dead." Demyx said. He nodded and smiled, albeit a little awkwardly. "I can do that." He paused. "Boss? What if… what if I disappear and go with Zexion to his home to help protect him?"

"I will understand your situation." Xemnas said. "Love leads us to do strange things."

Demyx smiled. "Thanks."

"I'd have some protests." Larxene said. She yanked Demyx over and hugged him tightly, ignoring his yelp and complaints of being awkwardly off his chair some and almost being smothered by his sister's breasts. "I don't want my little brother just disappearing."

"It's not like I'll be gone forever." Demyx whined a bit. "And Larxy, you're squishing me with your boobs!"

"Quit complaining." Larxene bit and snuggled her brother more. "Forever or not, for siblings, a few days even feels like forever."

"I don't know… I think we can survive a few days without Demyx." Vexen teased.

"Vexy!" Larxene and Demyx both whined.

"I'm just saying I won't miss the random singing and guitar playing at ungodly hours." Vexen said. "Remember, unlike the most of you guys here, I'm up for who knows how long and treating injuries and sickness of not only those of the Organization, but those of the kingdom who need help."

"Oh… fair enough." Larxene said. She let Demyx go and helped get him back onto his seat so he didn't fall. "Anyway… seems like no one has a problem if you disappear to help out lover boy."

"I may not be much of a fighter, but I want to protect him." Demyx said.

"No, you're better at running away." Vexen reminded, making Demyx glare a bit. "That is good, though. In your running away, you know how to avoid danger… it's like an animal instinct in you. If push comes to shove and you need to, and I'm sure Xemnas would agree especially if the theory of Zexion and Prince Ienzo being the same person is true, run like Hell and take him with you."

"I fully agree with that idea." Xemnas stated. He then sipped the tea he had. "Oh, and you two are right… Vexen is very much like a mother here."

"Doesn't help that he looks like a woman with that long hair he sports and the long cloaks he wears." Larxene teased.

"From behind, he's often mistaken as a woman until he glares back at the men who wolf whistle at him." Demyx added.

Vexen let out a sigh. "Remind me to poison your teas next time." He said.

"Dare I say it, Vexen, but you love us too much for that." Xemnas commented.

"He is right, you know." Demyx piped in.

"You're all grounded." Vexen muttered.

Saïx was sitting by the tree as he watched Sora swim around in the lake. He made sure to stay as close as possible, but he had to at least get out for the evening, lest he catch a cold. He went through his pack after putting his cloak around him and munched on some of the provisions he had with him. Vexen had them prepared for him so he didn't carry so much and the food was still filling; it would have been better if it didn't taste bitter with the herbs put into it.

"So," Sora said, getting Saïx's attention, "what do you plan on doing if you find Ienzo?"

"I intend on protecting him." Saïx said, taking a bite of his food.

"You're not forcing him back into being royal? Having him take the kingdom?" Sora asked. "Everyone seems to want him to take it back…"

"If he doesn't want the kingdom, he doesn't have to take it." Saïx said. "With or without him taking the throne back, we of the Organization still intend to take down Sephiroth."

"I see." Sora said. He swam up to the shore and watched Saïx eat whatever that stuff was. "What's that?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was poison." Saïx responded. "But it's Vexen's way to stave off hunger as much as possible and still prepare me for however long I may be out here." He saw Sora's curious expression and broke off a piece. "It's bitter, though."

Sora gently took the piece and popped it in his mouth. He had no reaction at first, but soon he looked like he had been hit hard with a terrible taste or stench and dove down into the water, thrashing about to get the taste from his mouth. By the time he came back up, Saïx was chuckling a bit.

"I warned you." He said.

"Yuck! I think your friend is trying to poison you!" Sora whined. "Wouldn't you rather have fish or something?"

"I would, but I don't fish and this is your lake last I knew." Saïx said. Sora smirked and went back into the water. Moments later, Sora returned, holding a fish in his jaws and a few more in his hands. He put the freshly killed fish on the ground in front of Saïx before biting the head off of the one he had in his mouth. Saïx almost found that to be disgusting, but then he remembered that Sora was definitely different from humans.

"You can build a fire." Sora said. "But it can't be too big. Just enough to cook the fish; people don't eat raw fish is what I'm told."

Saïx nodded. "Thank you for your permission. And for the fish." He said to the siren. "And you're right… we generally don't. Even I don't."

Sora tilted his head to the side. "You specified yourself… why?" he asked.

"Well, I can explain more after food and a good night's rest, but some people refer to me as a demon." Saïx said. Hearing this, Sora was interested and ready to hear the story right then and there, but he decided to wait until morning.

Heyo, lovelies!

No, don't quote me on this, but I think we're about halfway done with this story! Awesome!

Also, the comparison of Vexen being a "mother", it comes from my view of him after seeing various arts of him depicted as a parent, including a Mothers' Day picture. I think it suits him when we think of him as caring before we think of him as a mad scientist; even mad scientists can have their nice sides, you know.

Anyway! I hope you dearies enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next ones.

Ciao!

~ Chibi