Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.
"A siren?" Riku stared as Sora stretched his tail out in the pool of the fountain.
"This now makes sense about the nudity..." Yazoo said.
"Makes sense about the unnatural beauty." Kadaj added.
"The spells he sings and the threat he made to the guard earlier make sense, too." Loz finished.
"This… this is why you've never really responded to my advances, isn't it?" Riku knelt beside the fountain.
"I could feel it in you… you really do love me… I pretended I couldn't feel it… I thought it'd be better if I pretended and didn't act interested." Sora admitted. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be." Riku shook his head. "It all makes sense now… but… it doesn't stop me from having a love for you still. I understand that it's not exactly possible, we're two different species after all, but..."
"Not just that… we sirens live very long lives… even if I could stay with you, it'd break my heart to see you age and die..." Sora said. "I can't allow myself to love… because if I do… I may die of a broken heart..."
"I understand." Riku stated. "Compared to yours, my life is so… short. Small…"
"I won't be the only love you'll have, Riku, know that, okay?" Sora smiled. "I understand, I may always have a place in your heart, but your heart is big and open… it will have room for others. So find a nice lady… have a family. And I'll visit, tell stories to your children, your grandchildren..."
"I'd like that." Riku said. "Maybe one day things will change in a good way, you can be more open… no one will hurt you." He sighed. "Until then, though..."
"We may find a way to visit again." Sora assured. "Now, I must go; the others are probably waiting for me. But first..." He motioned for the brothers to join at the fountain. He then gave them each a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, all of you, for helping us out. Because of you, my friends are safe… so is your friend… and the others from the Organization… even if I still have a bit of a grudge against the pink one..."
"Is that why he has a bandage around his hand?" Kadaj asked, chuckling. "Took a chunk out of him at one point, didn't you?"
"He deserved it." Sora said. He then looked to the grate and the hole to the tunnels. "I hope to see you guys another time." he said.
"Wait..." Riku pulled Sora over, locking his lips with the siren's, engaging him in a deep kiss. "I know my heart will love others… but I wanted to do that so I wouldn't be left with any regrets." He smiled softly. "I love you, Sora."
Sora smiled and nuzzled Riku. He wished he could say those words back to the prince, but he knew it was best for both himself and Riku that he didn't. "Good bye… for now." he said, swimming and going down into the aqueduct, turning around to bring the grate back over the opening.
"Well shit." Yazoo said.
"What's wrong?" Loz asked.
"Ah, probably now thinking of how pissed Father's gonna be." Kadaj chuckled.
"No… well… that too, but… I know I told Riku that if it worked for him in asking Sora out then I'd ask Reno out but..." Yazoo sighed. "I now have to at least have the balls to confess and tell him how much I love him since Riku had the balls to tell Sora like that… even kiss him though we all found out why it can't work for them."
The brothers couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure you'll do fine." Riku assured. "And who knows, it may work out better for you than it did for me." He smiled as he leaned on the edge, staring at the water. "A siren… most likely the siren that was rumored to have saved the prince all those years ago..."
"Riku?" Loz inquired.
"I'm a little sad that it can't work between us… but I understand, too. Our lives differ… but… at least I can probably see him again." Riku admitted. He smiled when Loz rubbed his back, silently reassuring him that everything was okay. They then all looked up when the alarms were sounded, guards calling that the prisoners escaped. "Boy… Father's going to be pissed."
"Think he'll kill us if he finds out we helped?" Kadaj asked.
"He's not that nice." Yazoo shook his head. The brothers then exchanged looks before nodding, all silently agreeing that they would do their best to keep what they did a secret.
Being a siren, Sora could hear differently through water than humans could. He heard the bells being rung and the guards shouting. He knew there was trouble for his friends. He knew he needed to get out, back to the entrance where he came in at initially, but he decided to check something first. He found the throne room with ease, hearing Sephiroth there.
"What do you mean they escaped!?" Sephiroth shouted. "How could they escape!?"
"The guards on duty were all unconscious, your majesty." a guard explained. "We don't know why and there couldn't have been a way to drug them and there was no way the prisoners could use magic if they even had that ability."
"Your majesty! Your majesty!" Another guard came running in. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but we have an emergency!"
"What is it? Coming here and interrupting us..." Sephiroth snapped.
"Most of the guards in the southern watchtower were found dead; one was unconscious; he seems to be in a state of shock and unable to explain what happened." the guard explained. Before Sephiroth could say anything, he continued. "To top it off, there were no external injuries to the guards who were killed. It's like they all suddenly bled out."
"Dammit!" Sephiroth hissed, standing up and pacing, going right over a grate that led into the aqueduct. Sora stayed hidden and still, going unnoticed in the water. "How could they have managed this?" He then looked down to the grate, knowing beneath was water. "The siren..." he said. Sora nearly flinched, fearing he was seen, but he figure he hadn't. "It was believed a siren saved Ienzo all those years ago… if that's true… And they use magic with their voices." He glared. "First chance I get, I will run a sword through that bastard's heart..." he said, talking about the siren.
Sora shivered before quietly swimming off, knowing he needed to get out of there. He swam for his initial entrance, hoping that Xaldin and Lexaeus would be there waiting for him. He worried, though, with the bells being rang, warning that the prisoners got out of the dungeons.
He came to the end and gently poked his head up out of the water. Sora saw guards speaking to the two Organization members, trying understand why they were there before trying to apprehend them, realizing who they were, Sora had them in sight and started to sing, luring the guards to sleep.
"Sora." Xaldin turned around. "Nicely done; your singing was very helpful."
"Sleeping guards are better to deal with." Sora shrugged.
"Looks like they noticed the others got free; they're sounding the alarms." Xaldin sighed. "We need to get back." Lexaeus went over and carefully picked Sora up out of the water, gently holding him in his arms. "C'mon." Xaldin took the lead, quickly leading them through alleys, evading any guards they saw about the kingdom.
It didn't take long for them to return, safe and sound. By then, Sora was back to having legs.
"Sora!" Zexion rushed over, happy to have the siren back. "Are you okay? You didn't run into trouble?"
"No trouble, I'm fine." Sora responded. "But… I think Sephiroth got the idea that I helped… he remembered hearing of a siren possibly saving the prince and figured things out… the guards were also found dead… so they got the idea that I can sing songs like that..."
"It means they may be on guard, keeping their ears covered when on duty so they don't hear your voice." Xemnas said.
"Zexion," Roxas said, "what about your magic?"
"Magic?" Xemnas inquired, looking to Zexion.
"It's just something I learned over the years..." Zexion mumbled. "It's… why there's the fog in the forest, keeping people from getting to us there..."
"I see." Xemnas thought it over. "Do you think it'd work on Sephiroth? To haunt him?"
"Most likely not." Axel was the one who spoke up. "Okay, let's say Zex can really use that magic, even if he could make Sephiroth see his victims… hell, if we knew what she looked like, even if he could make the guy see his late wife… none of that would work; he won't feel haunted by it and he won't feel remorse about what he's done."
"Axel's most likely right." Zexion said, nodding in agreement with the redhead. He then looked to Sora. "But the guards are another story. I don't even need visions for them, just the fog. Because, if their other senses are dulled..."
"They'll try to listen if they can't see around them." Sora added.
"And if they use cotton to plug their ears, they'd remove them to hear. And..." Roxas continued.
"Sora can sing." Saïx finished, catching on to the boys' idea.
"Using lullabies, Sora can put the guards to sleep, making it easier to get to Sephiroth and separate him from his protective forces." Roxas stated. "Right, Sora?"
"Mm-hmm." Sora nodded.
"It seems we have an idea to work with." Xemnas said. "And perhaps we should try to make it our own… poetry in motion." He looked to Zexion. "Think we can figure everything out so we can carry this out on the anniversary of your parents' death?"
"I think so." Zexion nodded.
The others went on to chat or go to bed and rest up. Zexion stepped outside with Sora for some fresh air, the night now silent, the bells no longer ringing.
"Sora… I don't intend to take up the crown… I don't want to be king." Zexion said, sighing some. "But… I need a successor to take place once Sephiroth is removed from power."
"Did you have anyone in mind?" Sora asked.
"I do, but… I need your opinion since you know the hearts of others better than I do." Zexion responded.