Disclaimer: Didn't you read my disclaimer in the prologue? You didn't! Go read it and stop bugging me about what I own and don't own.
A/N: The Haunted Mansion façade I'm going to use is the one in Orlando but there are going to be elements from the Anaheim one. Welcome to chapter one. Please read and review, keep all hands and feet inside your chair at all times, and enjoy your journey on the Hafae Express. Thank You!
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Chapter One: Cousins, a Musician, and a Pirate Song
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The sky was filled with clouds of a dark gray, casting a gloom over the entire house that is now Gracey Manor. Despite the doom and gloom of the cloudy weather, George Gracey was ecstatic. His new manor was completed and ready for him, his dear wife Lillian, and his companions to move in.
Gracey Manor was a very large, red brick building surrounded by sloping lawns and a round glass conservatory showed prominently from the side of the house. Wrought iron gates surrounded the property, along with two gargoyles guarding the main entrance from the road. Their dark grey eyes seemed to watch every move you made in their path. Perched boldly atop the bell tower above the roof of the house was a weather vane with a pirate ship.
Gracey led Lillian down the road, covering her eyes with his hands and making sure she wasn't peeking.
"George! Are we there yet?" Lillian squirmed around to try and get a peek. A soft laugh left George.
"Yes, yes. Now wait one moment..."
Lillian giggled as she felt Gracey move in front of her. "Why is this house of ours a secret? I want to see it." Gracey removed his hands from her eyes and she gasped at what she saw. "Ohh! It's absolutely wonderful!"
"I know. I've waited so long." Lillian grabbed her husband into a kiss. They smiled at the prospect of a new beginning.
It wasn't long until Gracey's companions arrived to the extravagant mansion. Among them were a portly, balding man named Edward Gracey. A short and vividly oranged haired woman nicknamed 'Tangerine Gracey' stood next to him. Next to Tangerine (who just happened to be bouncing up and down enthusiastically at the prospect of a new place to hold her parties) was the renowned musician Wolfgang Furlong. Wolfgang's fingers twitched as though still playing while Edward examined the manor warily. Gracey walked down the path to meet them.
"Dear cousins and musician! Welcome to Gracey Manor." Gracey firmly shook Edward's and Wolfgang's hands before hugging Tangerine.
"Oh George, your house is wonderful!" Tangerine clapped her hands together in excitement. "You must let me hold a party!"
Gracey nodded enthusiastically as he said, "Of course my dear Tangerine. You're parties are said to be all the rage, am I wrong?" Edward chuckled and answered his inquiry.
"No, you wouldn't be. Tangerine can hold quite the party." A blush crept up Tangerine's face while more pleasantries were exchanged. It was a moment before George noticed two people were missing from the group.
"Now where can Madame Leota and that wily daughter of hers be?" Wolfgang and Edward shared a glance.
"George, are you sure it was wise to bring Leota and that daughter of hers into her house? You know how Lillian isn't fond of them. Leota in particular…."
"Nonsense, Edward! Lillian loves Leota. And Little Lenora Leota is quite a mischief maker, but she's still a darling." Tangerine spoke up.
"Lenora was just down the road behind us, singing those pirate songs of hers. Madame Leota stopped off at the graveyard." Just as Tangerine had finished speaking, the crudeness of a pirate song could be heard being belted out.
"We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves! Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho!" A young girl of 15 came skipping into view. She wore a velvet red dress with her long black hair down and occasionally in random braids. Coins and beads adorned the ends of the braids. They clanked together as Lenora kept singing. "We're devils and black sheep, and really bad eggs! Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho!"
"Lenora! Stop that horrible singing at once!" Tangerine's mother mode had kicked in. The only problem was that Lenora wasn't Tangerine's daughter.
"Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A pirate's life for me!" The dark pink Tangerine had turned clashed with her hair, causing Lenora to burst into giggles. Lenora gained her composure seconds later when she faced Gracey. She held out her hand solemnly.
"Master Gracey." He replied with a curt nod and a peck to her hand. Another fit of giggles burst out of Lenora and soon George. They gave each other a brief hug.
"Lenora. Now where is that mother of yours?" A voice broke the air in reply.
"I was occupied in the graveyard. Richard was called by the other ravens." The woman with this bold voice was Madame Leota. She too wore a red velvet dress, but had dozens of bangles on her arms and a bandana holding the dark brown hair out of her face. Leota's skin appeared as though sun had never graced its rays upon her features. A deep blue shawl covered her shoulders while a raven, whose name was Richard, sat in the cage Leota was holding. George looked at her in an almost loving way. Leota had been his friend for over 15 years.
"Hello Leota. It has been quite some time." A small, rare smile came from Leota.
"I have always known we'd meet again." Squeaks emerged from Tangerine.
"Leota, you are a psychic, are you not?" The smile left Leota, replaced with a look of annoyance directed towards Tangerine. The plump, red-headed woman was quite irritating.
Leota ignored the question entirely and spoke to Gracey instead. "Is Lillian going to greet us, Gracey?" Gracey looked back towards the house for his wife.
"She is probably directing the servants to their duties. You will see her at dinner." The party of six shared a few more words before making their way towards their new home.
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Word Count: 927
A/N: Well, what do ya think? Good? Bad? Why must I keep asking when you can just review? Please?