Guys, I know I probably seem like a real jerk for not posting regularly but I have a hard time because I have to do so much school work since I started Insight school.---Emmelman

Chapter Four: Coming Out to Play

"And this is the galley." Opacho gestured to the room decked in black and stainless steal. The large kitchen seemed built for a hotel; there were rows of preparation tables, stoves, and ovens. Along the walls were silver cooking utensils, pans, pots, woks, and oven mitts. Close to a sitting area (comprised of a homely wooden table and chairs) was a wall covered in pictures. Anna, having strayed from Opacho and Yoh, was staring at the pictures. Among them, a Christmas photo featuring what must have been the entire kitchen staff. There were elderly women and a few men close beside them. Oddly, five children were dressed in messy aprons and smiling beside the old people. 'Children lived here too? So this place was a residency...' Those same children were in another picture that featured them dressed for Halloween with a small caption. It read from left to right:

'Archibald, Mabel, and Noah Rupert + Joshua and Kristin Donnie (Halloween Party 23)'

The oldest children, Archibald and Joshua were both dressed as cowboys. Mabel was holding Noah in her arms (who was dressed as a ghost)—there was a simple white sheet over his body. Mabel was dressed as a nun it seemed and Kristin was dressed in a fancy gown—apparently a princess. Anna grazed a finger across the glass of the frame and sighed. In her mind, she imagined Hana, dressed as a cowboy like the two boys, grinning right beside them. 'I wonder if Hana has friends...' "Anna?" Yoh placed a hand on her shoulder. "Those are some cute kids huh? Apparently, Hao used to have a team personal chefs, maids, and workers who lived here—these must be their kids." He turned to face Opacho who stood in a door way waiting. "Right? These are the staff's kids?"

"Right."

Anna turned and folded her arms. "Are there many pictures like this? With all these people?" Opacho frowned suddenly and spoke sternly. "The photos stay." Yoh smiled and wrapped an arm around Anna's shoulder. "They're fine right Anna? You never know, there might be spirits in these old photos." "Whatever…" Anna shrugged, smoothed out of Yoh's arm, and walked out the door Opacho was waiting beside. Scratching the back of head, Yoh grinned after her. He may have been married to her for a while now, but Anna will be Anna. "Right…" Opacho started. "Let's be off then."

-----------------On an unknown staircase--------------------

Having finally gotten herself to one of the main stairwells, Tamera was resting. Now that she had found a familiar landmark, she was feeling a little better—her heart stopped trying to beat itself out of her chest. She was hoping that Hana had made it back as well, but she was doubtful. Certainly, Tamera didn't want to go back up stairs, but she knew she couldn't leave Hana. 'I'll just tell the guys, and then we can search together!' Tamera thought as she got up and started down the stairs.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

Tamera spun on her heels, looking for the voice. "H-helllllloooo—"Falling backwards, Tamera tumbled down the flight of stairs and ended up slamming into the railing with a thud.

The stair case was silent until a beautiful blond girl dressed in a fancy Lolita dress came down the stairs. She wore a black nurse's cap and dark eye shadow. "Mari tried to stop you. Mari says no running on the stairs."

------------------------The Stone Garden's Hall-------------------

The larger team who had gone in search of a TV, ended up in the garden hall. A garden hall, as Morty supposed, was basically an outdoor hallway, a suspended walkway that winded through a garden. Morty liked it; while he thought nothing could brighten up the house, he was sure the garden would at least be welcoming once the sun shined over it. Trey, Ryu, and Lyserg were outside the hall, out in the garden. Trey was sitting on one of the benches, looking up into the sky and enjoying the stars. Ryu was tracing shapes in surface of a puddle with his foot and Lyserg was sitting playing with the leaves on a nearby bush. Morty was still nervous, and was sticking close to Len who had decided to stay on the walkway. Compared to the inside of the house, the garden was much better cared for. The sand of the Zen garden was finely raked and the bushes were trimmed. The various patches of flower arrangements were sprinkled with water droplets that glistened. Morty snapped a few pictures with his camera saying something about how the flowers might die seeing as no one has a green thumb. Len was glaring out into the distance across the garden. 'Someone MUST be here besides us, who else could have been caring for the garden?' "Hey Len, you think we should be getting back to the foyer right?" Morty said having finished taking pictures of the foliage close to the bridge. Len continued to stare out into the garden and then beyond it. "Len? Uh...Helloooo Len?"

'What is that?'

Somewhere beyond the garden, a large man was rustling about in a bush before he looked up, and suddenly ducked out of sight.

----------------------The second floor------------------

Hana, having befriended Joshua, was traveling with him about the second floor. While they walked, they talked about various things. Frivolous things like favorite foods and more pressing questions like favorite baseball teams. One of the things mentioned was Joshua's hobby which was brushed off before Joshua admitted that he liked to shoot things.

"Sooo, like archery?" Hana asked. "Well uhhh, yeah! I guess that's what you'd call it—I like archery!" Hana was a little surprised—he didn't know kids still took up those kinds of hobbies.

"So Hana, what is it do like to do?" Joshua asked, suddenly hopping in front of Hana and walking backwards.

"Well, I guess I like uhh...music. I wanna be a rock star!" He smiled and chuckled a little imitating playing a electric guitar. Hana had inherited his dad's smile and his musical tastes—even his orange ear phones. "I've got some of my dad's old records but...we ended up tossing a lot of them...But now we got a new house so maybe we can get some more."

"..."

Noticing the silence, Hana looked into Joshua's face that was both curious and puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"What's rock? Is that music? What's it like?"

"...? You're serious; you don't know rock and roll? Oh, how about Soul Bob? He's old school but still pretty cool!"

"I know Soul Bob, Master liked Soul Bob too! He played the songs on the piano sometimes and hummed the songs to himself when he went on walks."

"Really? That's so cool! He must've been a real fan to write the songs into sheet music and stuff! Hey, you think that he still has his records around? The master I mean?"

"Uh-huh, they're in that room of his, wanna see?"

"You bet!"

The two boys then began to run through the halls laughing, Joshua leading the way--his long black hair flew behind him.

"Hey Joshua?"

"Huh?"

"Who's the 'master'?"

Thanks to everyone who's been sticking around for me and liking the story! Merry Christmas!