So, uh, who's still reading this? Not that I'm gonna stop posting if no one reviews but it would help improve the story. We're now to the exciting stuff. Please tell me how this should end. Okay?
"What a dump!" Ed exclaimed loudly, surveying the small house. Sora, Harry, and Al were shaking themselves of the clinging coldness, Sora and Harry looking somewhat queasy.
Riku shot him a glare before turning and climbing through the hole in the front wall. The actual door appeared to be unusable. While Ed's assessment wasn't incorrect, the other teens knew better than to say so. It was clear Riku had some attachment to the building.
Sora quickly followed Riku in, giving Ed a look as he passed. Harry came next, shaking his head. Al moved to stand beside his brother.
"What?" Ed asked him in confusion.
"Sometimes you just need to keep your mouth shut, Brother." Al answered softly.
"Well it's the truth."
Al studied the ground for a moment. "You just don't get it."
"Get what?" Ed spoke in irritation.
"This house has an emotional attachment to Riku. It means a great deal to him." Al explained. "I guess you don't remember what it's like to feel that."
He left Ed outside, walking away with shoulders squared. For a long moment, Ed just blinked. What the hell was going on? Why was everyone acting like he had done something wrong? He'd only made a comment and it wasn't like he was trying to be cruel. He was simply being himself. Whatever.
He went inside, not looking at any of the others. He settled himself in a far corner. Riku wasn't in the room. Where did he go? The three others stood or sat around the main room, Sora looking rather uneasy. "Where's Riku?"
"He went upstairs." Harry tugged on his braid.
"Oh? I thought we were on a time table." Ed frowned. Without further word, he moved to the stairs and began climbing.
"What do you-"Harry started but Sora cut him off with a look. He nodded a bit and Harry backed off.
Ed continued not bothering to wonder what that was about. This whole thing was taking too long and he was starting to get bored. He hadn't been expecting all this sneaking around and stuff. He'd been of the idea that everyone would simply meet up and start beating the crap out of each other.
He turned a corner into the upstairs hall. All of the doorframes were striped, sunlight streaming through the openings. Where could that silver haired, arrogant, pretty boy be?
Passing the first set of rooms revealed nothing but an empty bedroom and a bath. Looking in the next opening, nothing was on the left but the right side had a pile of blankets, a makeshift bed. That was interesting. He ducked his head in and found Riku standing by the broken window, staring out.
Riku wasn't prone to allowing anyone to see what he was feeling but Ed saw the bittersweet smile he was wearing. "How did I know you'd be coming up here?"
"Don't know. Maybe you wanted me up here." Ed smirked.
Riku didn't take the bait. He remained as he was for another moment. "I wasn't expecting the inside of this place to look exactly as I remembered. Sephiroth must have seen it during one of our sessions. I don't know if I should be upset or thankful."
Ed grew uncomfortable. Riku really did have some kind of attachment to this place, this room particularly. Now he felt like a jerk. Rubbing the back of his neck, he struggled to say something. "So, uh, what is this place?"
"A dump." Riku said flatly. There was no malice or sarcasm to his tone. Suddenly he laughed. It sounded hollow. "I thought the exact same thing the first time I saw it. Cloud didn't get mad about it. He just shrugged and said when you've got nothing, you'll sleep anywhere. I would come here whenever I could get away from the castle. I always felt safe here."
Ed watched the other carefully, trying to get a better reading. As usual, Riku's face was expressionless. His words would have to be enough.
Riku suddenly turned from the window and approached Ed. "Sorry, I'm slowing everything down. I let my emotions take over."
"This place is obviously important to you." Ed countered quietly. "I should have realized that when you first mentioned it."
"Whatever." Riku waved it off. "I probably would have acted the same way. You and me, we're too much alike."
Ed grinned. "Yeah, I guess so."
"I know so." Riku laughed fully. "That's why I'll never leave you alone with Sora."
"Damn." Ed snapped his left fingers. "I sooo wanted a piece of that."
Riku slugged him in a mock fashion. The tension had disappeared and the two were back to their usual selves. Why exactly it had formed remained unsaid. A strange form of understanding established itself and for now that was all needed.
"Come on, let's get this battle going."
Ed nodded and trailed after Riku.
"You two still want first patrol?" Riku asked, swallowing the last of his lunch. As soon as they had returned downstairs, he had opened another dark hole and pulled out another two sacks, one with supplies the other filled with food.
Ed and Harry nodded, almost together.
"Okay, I think twenty minute intervals will be sufficient. If there's even the slightest sign of activity, call, understood?"
"Yes, Sir." Ed snickered. Harry grinned along with him as the two finished their water and began gathering a few potions. Both grabbed fresh water bottles and headed for the door. Ed called over his shoulder, "Now don't go leaving my brother alone so you two can fool around."
Riku shrugged casually. "We'll just invite him to join in. I always wanted to try a threesome."
"Riku!" Sora shouted in total embarrassment. Al's face went beet red. Harry only chuckled as Ed struggled to come up with a retort. He couldn't.
"Come on, Harry." Ed turned on his heel. It was hard to tell if he was really disturbed by Riku's statement or not.
"Good luck, Al." Harry winked, crossing the threshold heading out.
A few minutes went by, the remaining three finishing up their lunches. Al kept looking at Riku with concern. He had no idea if Riku had been serious earlier or not. He never could read him.
"Don't worry, Al." Riku wasn't looking at him but out the side window. "I was only kidding."
"Oh, right." Al said softly.
Riku quirked an eye. "Unless you want us to do something to you."
Sora looked over now, too. He actually appeared curious as to Al's reply.
"No," Was the quick answer. A slight blush covered his cheeks. He was fairly sure he was being teased but it still felt weird to be hit on by one of his friends, more importantly a guy friend.
"All right." Riku laughed. "I'll stop teasing you. What do you think of our little game so far?"
"It's been fun although I'm not certain where all this is headed." Al sat on his heels thoughtfully. "Between the tricks and that card-"
"What card?" Riku interrupted.
"Oh, yeah." Sora reached into a pocket on his jacket. "Outside Merlin's I found this card wedged between the stones of the bridge."
He handed the object over to Riku, watching his reaction carefully. While his expression didn't change, his eyes faded to a more green shade. The card had triggered something in Riku's memory.
"What is it, Riku?" He asked, half in concern, half with fear. He had a feeling this had something to do with when he'd been asleep for a year.
Riku remained silent. He continued to stare at the simple card in his hand. It wasn't so much the card that was troubling him, it was the picture on the crown topped paper. He couldn't lie to Sora but he really didn't want to explain this.
Hesitantly, he began. "This is or at least is a replica of the cards used in Castle Oblivion. They each contained a memory and the door they unlocked is where the memory would play out. Whoever left this, knows about Organization XIII."
"What?" Sora's eyes widened. "But none of those guys would know about them, would they?"
Riku's gaze and jaw tightened. "No, they wouldn't and I don't think Sephiroth would have told them."
"How would Sephiroth know about the Organization?"
"He was there, too." Was the absent reply.
"Where? And what do you mean 'too'?"
"Castle Oblivion. All three of us were there."
"Wait, what?" Sora was extremely confused. Al was completely. He didn't know about anything the two were talking about.
This kicked Riku from his musing. He realized he had been thinking out loud and said too much. He uneasily ran a hand through his hair. "It's a really long story. I don't think we have time to really get into it.'
Al checked his watch. "We have 12 minutes."
Riku glared weakly at him. Sora pouted at him and he knew he had lost. He never could withstand Sora's pout. "Fine."
And he began.