The Game Begins...

"Hey! Cloud!" Zack waved. Everyone was already in the train station. Cloud ran to them with a smile pasted on his face.

"I guess we should go in then" Yuffie smiled at Vincent. He smiles back.

"One question, why didn't we take the car, instead was going on train?" Zack asked as he raised his hand. Aerith holding her purse sighed and answers.

"I just thought that using public transport would be fun" her smile was fake. Tifa can see behind her mask.

They went inside and got into their respective seats. Facing each other were Aerith, Zack, Yuffie and Vincent. Just beside them, on the other side were Tifa and Cloud. Tifa was mesmerized by the scenery behind the window. Cloud watched her with amusement.

"Seems like those two enjoy their view" Vincent smiled as she gazes at Yuffie, doing the same thing on the window side.

"Childish" Aerith mumbled, but no one pay it much attention.

"Well… Aerith…why the sudden invitation to the manor?" Zack asked, feeling awkward with the silence that came in.

"I just thought it would be interesting this vacation with more people" she simple smiled. Yuffie and the others knew she was scheming something. All except the two apart from the four of them, whom is enjoying their little word even if their just inches away from the others.

When they reached their stop, they had to go ride a bus, and with Aerith's luggage, they had to rent a van.

"Guess we're going to have to return this by tomorrow" Vincent sighed as he drives. Aerith was beside him. She seems to keep track of her place in the car.

"Busses should make their hall wide and their trunks big" Aerith grumbled as she shuts the window. Her hair was a mess with the wind blowing to her face.

"Why not take little stuff than your whole summer collection" Tifa said in the rear. She was quite mad, since they had made people wait since Aerith had so many bags and in the end, they were just going to have to find a car renting place and that took those two hours to find. It was nearly dark.

"Watch your tongue, murderer" Aerith mumbles in a harsh note. Vincent suddenly halts the van. Everyone was silent while Tifa and Aerith gave out cold auras. Cloud was really surprised to see Tifa a different person when they're not at school. She might not still be like the time they met, but it's better than the time he met her first at school.

"U-uhm…. I think we should go now….its best since its getting dark" Yuffie intersected in the tight situation. She had her head bowed down. The others agree while Aerith never replied. Vincent continued to drive.

When they neared the Manor, it was mystical actually. It had a castle structure.

"This Manor was about a hundred years older than us. It's a priceless possession of the Lockhart's" Tifa smiled. Aerith scoffed as she called the butler to fix her stuffs.

The entrance consists of large double doors with carved wood art of angels on clouds. When the butler entered, a line of maids faced them and began taking their luggage. Tifa and Yuffie smiled and thank the maids. Aerith kept barking orders as she heads to the stairs. Halfway up, she turns and smiles.

"Enjoy" and she kept walking up to her room. The others were silent for a few moments then headed to the parlor.

"Well, this house if fancy" Cloud smiled. He took in his surrounding and imagined himself in a castle where a beautiful brunette princess lives.

"Well, get use to it, were here for two weeks!" Zack said as he launches himself onto the sofa. He acts like he owns the place.

"If Papa was here, you can't do that Big Brother Zack" Yuffie states as she munches on the cookies the maids had prepared for them.

"Well, he isn't, so let Zack have his fun" Vincent replied. Tifa giggled as Zack was beginning to doze off. Cloud poked his cheeks but he just began snoring.

"It's been a long day" Vincent states "we better get our rest"

The others agreed.

"What about Zack?" Yuffie asked, enjoying poking his cheek but retreats when drools were getting out.

"I and Cloud can carry him up. He can't mess up the couch with his saliva" Vincent looked at Cloud who just nodded.

The two guys did their job while Yuffie went up her room. Tifa asked to be left behind, wanting to get some night air from the balcony.

When she was all alone, she sighed with the breeze of midnight brushing her face. The wind was cool on her skin. Relaxing and soothing. But something made it rather wrong yet so right. Warm arms enveloped her waist from behind and a chin rested on her shoulder.

"Hey…" the captor spoke. She smiled at the tone which she was very familiar with. She placed her hands on his.

"You know you can't do these kind of things, especially with Aerith near" Tifa scolded him, but was hoping he'd argue and convince her to stay that way for a little longer.

"Their back in their own chambers…besides, it's going to be little time that was going to be alone" he sighed.

"Why is that?"

"Because the guys and me…-" Cloud cuts his sentence. Tifa looked at him not amuse.

"Are you three still trying to figure out something?" she asked. Her stare were demanding.

"No…" he said in a fake offensive tone "Let me finish my sentence…but you got to keep this secret, ok?"

Tifa turned wide eye and curious "what?"

"We were planning a party held by us by the end of the vacation. So were already planning stuffs in advance" it was a lie, yet it seemed to convince Tifa. She giggled.

"We just got here and you three are already preparing for the end?"

"Well…" his grip on her waist tightens "time flies when you're enjoying it"

Tifa gently tilts her head, letting it lean on Cloud's head. She sighed and said "You have a point"

They enjoyed the small time they had at that moment, though they hadn't noticed orbs icy as can be, plotting up a plan.

The owner of the eyes rips her gaze from the two and heads up as slowly as possible to her room. Beside the soft pillow filled bed, a chess board made of glass was already in the midst of a game, black getting the ahead.

With a smile she moves a black pawn in front of the queen. Her mischievous smile grew.

"Let's start small…besides, getting straight to the point isn't fun" with a chuckle she sets off her lamp and settles herself among the soft white puffs comforting her. Excitement was in her veins, awaiting the white queen to take her pawn, which was a trap.


Ohhh…ok….Writer's block from here on out. Suggestions please! And review! I'd like to know opinions!