Morning morning! A new day, a new fic, yaaay! Let's talk about ghosts today... or are we?

For the very first time, Naminé had managed to escape the surveillance of her… guardians, and the relative safety of the abandoned mansion. For the very first time, she was free and on her own, in this town the colours of fall

The city wasn't exactly real, but in her existence, everything had always been fake, so it didn't make much of a difference to her. If anything, she was safer here than in the real world. The Organization wouldn't find her, she didn't risk being attacked by Nobodies or Heartless, and no one could gossip about her existence.

She was thrilled to even set foot outside. The air was a bit fresh for her light outfit, but it felt great. She let the sun warm her face for a moment, before taking a deep breath and walking into town.

Civilians were walking down the streets, ignoring her completely. For a moment, she feared they would stop, stare at her, but they kept living their daily lives, oblivious to her. As if she were one of their own. Kids were running everywhere, laughing, having fun in their summer vacations, unaware they wouldn't exist past these. And she could walk among them. As if she were one of their own.

Slowly, a strange feeling of happiness settled inside her chest. She felt like she belonged there, like she was home for the very first time. She didn't have to be scared or to hide, she could simply smile back at people and chat with merchants. Diz wouldn't return before the end of the day, which gave her plenty of time to explore.

"Hey, hey, have you heard about the mansion, the one behind the forest?"

She stopped in her tracks. The kids all looked very excited, talking in giggling whispers, and if they noticed she was listening, they didn't walk away.

"What about it? It's just an old place, it's been abandoned for years."

"I heard it was a mad scientist who lived there."

"I heard it was a mafia leader!"

"What are you saying? They said it used to be a king!"

"Will you listen to me?" The kid who had started frowning, probably annoyed they wouldn't let him tell his story. "It doesn't matter who lived here. I want to tell you about who's in there now!"

"No one lives here," a girl sighed. "We all know that."

"You're only half right," the boy said with a spooky grin. "For there is no living soul in there… But what if I told you there was a ghost haunting it?"

Naminé tilted her head. A ghost, within the mansion? She didn't recall Diz coding one. Had they seen Nobodies? Could it be that some Dusks had slithered their way through?

"A ghost?" All the kids were now paying full attention to the narrator, who looked rather pleased by such power. He nodded grimly.

"Yes. If you stand in front of the mansion for long enough, and you look at the window on the first floor, there's a chance you can see her. They say it's a girl, all dressed in white. But be careful, as if you can see her… She can see you too."

They shared a common shiver, their eyes sparkling with fear and excitement. Naminé took a step back. Then another.

She had been stupid, and foolish. One of their own? She would always be naught but a ghost to them. A scary legend to frighten children. She shouldn't have come. She wasn't free here either, and she did not belong. She wasn't even supposed to exist, how could she belong anywhere? Diz was right. The mansion was the only place for her to be, the only place where she would be safe and not a burden.

She ran away back to her huge, abandoned jail.

Doing what she did best, haunting it.

Poor kiddo, she deserves what's best :'(

Tomorrow is a lighter theme, "Dad" !