Nothing to say. Read the chapter. Simple as that.

Chapter Ten

"They're collecting princesses?" Riku asked slowly as he and Bella shuffled slowly through the hallways of Hollow Bastion.

"Yes." she answered. It was actually a bit weird saying it. They were collecting princesses. Sounded like some kid going after all the figures in a McDonalds happy meal.

"Why?"

"You'll find out."

"That's all you're gonna give me?" the boy questioned with a aggravated voice.

"Yes."

"Damn, Bella-Donna." he mumbled and ran a hand through his silver locks. This lack of information was seemingly eating on his nerves.

"Believe me Riku, you'll find out soon enough."

"Right, right, I know. You'll tell me when the time is right." the male said in a low voice and pushed past her and into the bedroom. Bella-Donna didn't like Riku being angry with her; she didn't like it at all. Ever since she took of to go find Hades, the islander had been acting cold toward her. Was it because she left him to talk to the god? Was it because she was constantly keeping him in the dark about things? Was he just irritated by all that was going on? She had no idea whatsoever.

Following him into the room, B.D. sighed at the sight of him sitting in his usual place on the windowsill, staring outside with a blank look on his face. His tightly crossed arms and tight shoulders were clearly signs of 'do not disturb'. But that didn't mean that she would follow those signs.

"Riku?" she asked quietly and walked up beside him. He only let out a huff in response.

"I have to go back to get some things from the house."

Another huff.

"I should be back in a few minutes."

Huff. This was getting ridiculous.

"Fine! Be that way, be childish! See if I care!" B.D. suddenly lashed out in a child like tone, giving her words a hypocritical sense. Riku turned his head toward her with slightly glaring eyes as he watched her snatch the worn bag from the floor.

"And, hey, I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go this time. But noooo. If you wanna stay here and mope around, be my guest!" With that exclamation, Bella swung the bag over her shoulder and pulled her shirtsleeve up in search of the wrist control. In her looking, she didn't noticed the glare turn to surprise on Riku's face at the news of her asking him if he wanted to go back. She didn't see the thoughts roll behind his aquatic eyes, and she didn't see him lung for her right when the button was pushed and the fading began.

The light feeling of the process came over her as she shifted from Hollow Bastion to Michigan. Though she had to admit, she did feel a bit heavier this trip. Maybe she should lay off the junk food for a while. The lab slowly came into focus as everything came back together again inside the phone booth. Still, something was different. For one, she was pressed up against the door of the booth, two, she spotted a pair of feet that weren't hers on the floor, and three, she could see a spot of light colored hair swaying in front of her face. Silver hair even.

"Well…look who decided to join me." Bella-Donna mumbled and tried to push herself away from the door as much as she could. That attempt only resulted in her swinging back and into the glass side with the stowaway pressed up beside her.

"Offer I couldn't refuse." Riku chuckled and turned his head as much as he could toward the girl. Now, things were different when it was Bella and Erin in the phone booth. Erin was smaller, narrower, and shorter. Riku, well, Riku wasn't any of those. Both teens were between 5'9" and 5'11", and phone booths were not really made for such people to be in there at the same time. The door had to go in, and there was no more room inside that they could think of.

Over and over the two moved themselves around in attempts to get the stubborn door open. Legs were swung from side to side, arms tossed up, backs bent, and necks creaked. Grunts and small arguments filled the basement as time when on, and both prayed that no one would waltz down the stairs to see them in some…embarrassing positions that turned the two faces red a few times.

"Get your face outta there!"

"I can't help it! Move to the side!"

"I can't, there's no more room over here! You move!"

"Then at least slide your leg over a bit!" Riku tried to reason and nudged Bella's leg a bit.

"I'm trying, your butt's in the way!" B.D. argued back before their limbs finally gave out and they both crumpled in a heap on the floor of the phone booth, still keeping the embarrassing position intact of course.

"Well, this is just a bushel of fun isn't it?" the girl asked with sarcasm etched along her voice.

"Shut up." the boy mumbled while trying to keep his head away from Bella's…chest area. Both started the desperate struggle to get themselves upright once more, but that mission turned out to be harder then expected. Whenever Riku tried to lift himself, his legs always got caught on Bella's legs, and they were in just the right spot that they were perfectly wedge between the door and his knee. When Bella-Donna tried to get up, her legs, of course, would stay stuck, along with her hair in a few of the screws holding together the booth. Oh, if only they had a screwdriver.

"I think…we're running…out of air," the silver haired sighed out after another attempt at standing.

"That's nonsense, this thing is bound to be filled with holes of all kinds. You're just getting yourself winded. Calm down."

"Yeah, well…you're not the one hovering over dangerous territory." Riku sighed and shifted slightly on his arm which was the only thing keeping him from collapsing down on the girl. This little comment not only brought a small blush to B.D.'s face, but to the boy's as well.

"B-Bella?" another female voice stuttered from outside of the phone booth, showing obvious strain to hold back laughter. Both teen's in the booth winced at the familiar voice and slowly turned their heads to gaze upon their finder.

Not five feet away, Auntie Albie stood with a hand firmly clasped over her mouth and tears welling up in her glasses framed eyes from keeping her entertainment bottled up. B.D. knew that their luck wouldn't last and someone would somehow find their way down to the basement, and here she was. It must have been a provocative sight. The girl's legs thrown up in different directions, Riku half leaning on top of her, both faces red as Macintosh apples. Whether Albie knew that this little scene was not what it looked like, or if she thought she had walked in on something, it didn't matter. Either way, the scientist found it absolutely hilarious.

"Gahahahahaha!" the woman burst out, doubling over as well. Bella-Donna and Riku watched as her glasses fell to the ground before Albie attempted to pick them up, but only toppled to the ground; laughter throwing her off balance. Both teens managed to force more blood up into their faces as the embarrassment continued. The large room echoed with the ringing of Albie's giggles as she tried to fit some words in between the laughing and pointed weakly to the phone booth.

"Albie," B.D. tried desperately to get her aunts attention. "Albie!"

"O-One moment, d-dear." she forced out and stood from the floor, tears of joy glazing her slightly wrinkled cheeks. Chuckles still found their way out of her mouth as the woman searched through a few drawers and crates in search of something to help the trapped ones. A screwdriver turned out to be the hero for the day as the aunt slowly unhinged the phone booth door before letting it slam to the floor.

Bell and Riku spilled out and onto the cold floor, still firmly tangled together. Only this time, the boys face didn't avoid coming in contact with the girls more…protruding area. Both of them let out a small grumbling noise at the occurrence, and Riku was quick to pull himself off the girl, as she was fast to scoot herself across the room. The sound of the scientist's laughter once more flooded the room as her squinting eyes caught what turned the teen's faces, once more, red.

"Forgive me if I in-interrupted anything!" she gasped out with one hand holding her stomach and the other grabbing the booth for support.

She never received a response from either. Before more laughter could be heard, both blushers were jetting up the stairs and through the door leaving the humored aunt deserted in the basement. Luckily, Charlie wasn't home to discover what had occurred and the two made it to the kitchen without any other problems. Still, they did keep their distance from one another for a while.

"Are we gonna go outside?" Riku asked as he pulled a cherry patterned curtain back from the window and stared out at the different world. At the question, Bella paused slightly in her food gathering.

"Um…"

"You weren't planning on it were you?" he asked with a quirked brow and a small tap of his finger on the window.

"Well…"

"Well?"

"Well…I do have to go out and get our homework from Erin's house…"

"And?" he prompted once again.

"And I guess if I drove over there, people wouldn't see as much of you…"

"Right, lets go." Riku stated excitedly before grabbing B.D.'s arm and pulling her out of the kitchen and through the rest of the spacious house. The front door was yanked open and the porch lay spread out before them. Snatching the massive collection of keys from the small hook on the doorframe, Bella-Donna yelled out towards the basement.

"We're going out, taking the car, be back later!" she let out in one breath before she disappeared out the door and down the steps.

"Now where?" the silver haired asked and glanced around the peaceful neighborhood like an anxious child who just found his way into the worlds largest ball pit.

"You can be pretty excitable can't you?" the girl commented and shook her head slightly with a grin plastered on her face. "C'mon, get in the car."

"Car?" He turned his head and watched as Bella made her way over to the less then perfect automobile. It was large. Large and ugly. The station wagon was as big as a boat and hideous to boot. Wooden paneling ran across the outside, framing the dark blue paint. Ah yes, the Ford Station Wagon; un-small at any speed. He had never really learned about these 'car' things, but the mere sight of this one made Riku cringe.

"Are you coming or not?" his companions voice broke his thinking and brought him back to look at her from his spot on the opposite side of the vehicle.

"Yeah, I'm coming." with that mumbled, the boy glanced through the glass over at Bella's side to see exactly how she opened the door. Sighing as she slid in, he fumbled with the handle a bit before pulling it just right and letting to door creak open. The inside was fairly clean. Save for a few food wrappers and empty coke bottles. The shiny leather of the seat made it easy for Riku to slip inside and immediately be hit with the smell of trees. He figured it was from the odd tree shaped thing dangling from the little mirror above.

"Not the most attractive thing in the world is it?" B.D. chuckled and started up the engine, making the islander jump slightly. He watched with interest as she pulled the seatbelt up and over her shoulder before clicking it locked at her side. Following suite, he did the same on his side then looked back at Bella-Donna. Now she was pushing a button on the door that made the window come down. Shooting his eyes to his own door, Riku ran his gloved fingers over the black buttons searching for the right one.

Beside him, Bella bit her bottom lip to hold back her laugh reflex. It was almost…cute to watch a serious guy like Riku try these things for the first time. Though she could imagine the glare she would get if she let out even the smallest giggle. He went through the door locks first, then the back window button, then finally he got his prize and pushed the front window button. A triumphant smirk spread on his face as he turned back to B.D. and found her stifled smile.

"Lets get goin'." she said and turned her amused eyes behind after the transmission had been shifted into reverse. The station wagon squeaked in protest as it was moved down the slanted drive and into the road. After the small battle with the sticking gears, Bella managed to get the thing going down the road and toward the highway. All the way, Riku was staring out the window like dog on a road trip. However, those bright aqua eyes staring out at the world like that was bound to bring in some female attention at a stoplight. Even if it was unwelcome.

"Hey there." a sultry voice spoke out as they came to stop at the red light.

Bianca Wisenborn. The picture of perfection to all the high school males, class queen, and Shelly Bloomburg's older cousin. Bianca Wisenborn. The only person who could ruin Bella's day.

"Just ignore it, and it'll go away." the Egyptian whispered in the direction of Riku, but it was too late.

"Hey." the silver haired replied with a small smile. Immediately, a less then happy look stormed over B.D.'s face, and her hands gripped tighter on the steering wheel.

"Bella-Donna," Bianca stated plainly, moving her sharp green eyes toward the younger girl. "Thought that was you. Who's this, your cousin?"

"No." she answered in a stiff voice. That overly friendly tone that Bianca sent her way was irritating beyond belief.

"Oh no? Boyfriend?" the junior asked in a pleasant manner, but her little cronies in the backseat of her parents BMW cackled. Riku looked back and forth between the smiling red head and B.D. who was keeping her darkened eyes on the light up ahead.

"No." the sixteen-year-old said through clenched teeth.

"Friend?"

"Yes."

"And what's your friends name?" Bianca shifted her eyes back to Riku. The boy's eyes went to Bella, almost as if he was asking permission to tell. It was good to see that he wasn't completely oblivious to the tension flowing between the two cars.

"Rick. His name is Rick," she answered for him, her flaming eyes still locked on the traffic racing in front of them. Riku gave a small smile and nodded in agreement to Bianca.

"Well, Rick, Bella-Donna," the red head started, adding a bit of hidden venom to the younger girl's name. "We're going down to the café to meet up with the boys. Care to join?"

"Um…" the Kingdom Hearts character started and once more looked toward the enraged girl beside him.

"I'm busy." she huffed out in a stern voice.

"Then would Rick like to-"

"He's busy too." Bella shot out and finally turned her attention over to the neighboring car, making her growing angry too viewable for her liking.

"Ohhh, I think she's jealous."

"I think you're right," Bianca sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Well, I would hate to invade on another girls territory. Guess I'll see you two later."

With those last worlds, the window of the Beemer went up and the light on its lane turned green. In a flash the silver car was speeding down the highway, probably being filled with laughter and joking. On the other hand, inside the station wagon the atmosphere held nothing that resembled cheer. Riku sat quietly in his seat while B.D. grinded her hands on the steering wheel, staring savagely up at the stoplight. When it finally popped to green, she slammed down on the accelerator, sending the unprepared passenger back into his seat. Turning swiftly around the corner, the boy stared at his friend through the corner of his eye.

"Bella?"

"What?" she asked sharply.

"Is everything…okay?"

"Why would anything be wrong?"

"Well, it just seemed that you two didn't really-"

"Didn't really what? Get along? You don't think I can get along with a person like that, Riku? I don't hit on any attractive face that I see do I? No, I'm a civilized person. I can talk to people like that when I have to. I can hold back my urges. I don't need to get violent! I could have let you go if you could've! But you can't just go out like that, Riku! Do you have any idea what people like that would do if they found out who you really are? They would sell you to the government! They're bad people! So stay the hell away from Bianca, Riku!"

Silence. The station wagon was once again silent as death. Bella drove the car with an icy glaze to her eyes, never pulling them away from the road. In the passenger seat, Riku sat with slightly widened eyes, and mouth agape at the outburst. He never knew that B.D. could talk so fast. But that wasn't the only thing that brought about the surprised expression.

Some of the comments she made stuck fast in Riku's mind. Like, 'I don't hit on any attractive face that I see do I?', 'I can hold back my urges.', and 'So stay the hell away from Bianca, Riku!'. Thoughts swam behind his eyes as his expression slowly turned from shocked to sly.

"You are jealous. Aren't you?"

"Excuse me?" Bella tilted her head toward him slightly, the ever-present anger lining her voice.

"You are. You are jealous." Riku repeated and shifted in his seat to look at the girl squarely.

"That's ridiculous! Why would I be jealous?" she exclaimed with a disbelieving smile.

"I don't know, why would you be?" he countered with a small shrug.

"I'm not jealous, Riku."

"Really?" the silver haired asked with a smirk and a raised brow.

"Stop thinking so highly of yourself." B.D. snapped and made a turn to Erin's road.

"Fine." he said dismissively and turned back around in his seat, staring straight out the window. He swore, sometimes she was so stubborn. But why did he want he to say that she was jealous? Why did he want to hear her say that she was jealous of some other girl getting friendly with him? He didn't know…but then again, he kind of did. Though he wouldn't say it. Stubbornness ran wild between the two.

Finally pulling up to a blue two-story house, Bella-Donna shook her head at herself and parted the car. Jealous. Humph. To think, her being jealous of that small of a thing? As she said, it was ridiculous. Sure she had a crush on Riku, but she wasn't the insanely jealous type…so why did she have the need to rip Bianca's hair out of her scalp?

"Jealous," B.D. whispered out loud to herself with a shake of her head. "Why would I be jealous?"

"I don't know…why would you be?" Riku responded unexpectedly and caused the girl to turn her attention back to him. He sat there, his eyes fixed through the windshield, staring at nothing in particular. Bella kept her blue eyes on him for a few minutes before he slowly moved his own light colored orbs back over to her. Still keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel B.D. started to say something, but was interrupted by a loud bang on the window that sent both teens jumping.

The blonde haired warrior stood above the fallen Key barer, Buster Sword held ready. Tension was thick in the coliseum as all eyes watched, waiting the finishing slash that would end the match. Sitting up in the stands, Erin sat with her whole body clenched in nervousness. Through the whole thing she had been volleying back and forth on who to cheer for. The first choice was Sora, because he was the good guy. Then there was Cloud, and she wanted to cheer for him because…he was Cloud Strife. In the back of her jumbled little mind, she knew that the deathblow would never come, that's not how the game ended. But she was still as nervous as a baby rabbit.

That feeling slowly faded away when she caught sight of the older male lowering his sword slowly, letting the bewildered Sora stand to his feet. People in the small crowd either grumbled in aggravation that no one was killed or let out a sigh in relief. Either way, both sounds were quickly cut off by a loud rumbling noise.

"Thunder?" the girl squinted and looked up to the sunny sky above. Not a cloud in sight…well, except for the one down in the arena. But sure enough, there it was again, the deep rumbling sound vibrating the entire structure. If Erin hadn't have known any better she would have said it was like a huge dog growling. Wait…dog growling…They were in the coliseum. Hades was in the coliseum. Cloud made a deal with Hades. Hades had a really big dog…Cerberus.

"Cerberus!" she exclaimed in realization and stood from her seat before racing down to the battlefield. "Sora!"

"Wha-" the boy started before a giant paw came down dangerously close to him. The three-headed dog towered over the Keyblade master, saliva dripping from its fanged mouth. Back behind the monstrous form, the still running girl could make out the retreating figure of a tall flaming god. And the game rolls on.

"Phil, get them outta here!" a mans voice rang out as the petite girl finally made it to the lower level. Before she knew it, Sora had latch onto her arm and she was quickly dragged out of the stadium and toward the lobby, leaving poor unconscious Cloud and Hercules to fend for themselves. The light of the entry room came into view as the boy and girl rushed down the hall behind Donald, Goofy, and Phil.

The satyr collapsed on the floor in a gasping heap as the runners came to a stop. Inside the arena, sounds of the fight could be heard echoing through the stone. Beside her, Erin could almost see the adrenaline rushing through Sora's veins as he stared back through the dark passage with eager blue eyes. She knew he wanted to go back in there and fight Cerberus. She knew she had wanted to when she first played the game. But she also knew that it was usually better to wait until the return to Traverse Town. Now all she had to do was convince Sora of that fact.

"Sora?"

"Yeah?" he mumbled under his breath as he continued gazing down the hall.

"Don't you think we should be heading back? Ya know, to ask Leon about those-"

"Whew, that was close! That was Cerberus, the guardian of the Underworld. Herc should be able to handle him. But then again, maybe not... This doesn't look good." Phil interrupted and shook his head, also looking in the same direction as the boy. Donald and Goofy soon followed suit, their weapons twitching slighting in their hands. A bit anxious?

That question was answered when Sora began taking those fateful steps forward.

There you go. Yes, a bit sexual tension between Bella-Donna and Riku. So sue me, I couldn't help it. I know, I know there isn't much with Sora and Erin in this chapter, but I ran low on inspiration for this one. There will be more next time, promise. But in the mean time, REVIEW!!!!