Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.
"I don't get it… I thought I'd feel something… but… it's so still." Naminé said, stepping inside with the others.
"Even I'm not picking up on anything." Kairi commented, touching the frame of a painting. "Sora?"
"We need to be even more cautious… this stillness… it could be Xehanort." Sora explained, getting the others to look at him. "Xehanort's the one who took control of things when he passed away… he's trapping the ghosts… and he's probably containing them elsewhere to throw us off."
"Ain't gonna work on those of us who can't see or feel." Axel pointed out.
"Then it's on us to look out for Naminé, Sora, and Kairi." Zexion reminded. "Any little thing can throw them off."
"Kids? You hear me?" came Xaldin's voice over one of the radios they had.
"Yeah, we hear you." Demyx responded.
"Okay, so, you need the cameras set up and your keys found first; assuming the cameras will work; the go-cameras are getting a lot of interference." Xaldin reminded. "Start on the first floor and work your way up. There should be a piano in the parlor; it's the only one we saw when we went in back in high school."
"Parlor?" Demyx asked.
"It's on the first floor." Zexion replied, knowing parts of the floor plan fairly well, at least in knowing what rooms where on what floors; where exactly was another story, but he did have his own little map to help.
"That's rig-zzt! Now be on y-zzzzt! -nal may cut-zzzt!"
"Signal may have cut out?" Zexion asked into the radio. "Xaldin?" He sighed. "Hopefully we'll get signal again. Until then, though..."
"Let's hit the pantry first." Sora said.
"That'd be in the kitchen." Zexion looked at the small floor plan he had to help them out; he would have had it on his phone or tablet, but he figured the batteries would die quickly; physical was sometimes better, especially when dealing with ghosts.
"Stay close with me, Sora." Riku said, taking the brunette's hand. "Should we tie our hands together?"
"I think just holding is fine." Sora responded, blushing a little.
"Hey, love birds, let's get going." Axel said. "Great, we're in a haunted mansion that eats people and I'm still single… There are two couples already… and they're younger than me." At the mention of two couples, Zexion and Demyx averted their gazes, knowing full well that no one, except maybe Sora, knew they were dating.
"Yeah, well, the last thing you'd want is to get laid here." Kairi said. "Typically in horror movies, if you get laid… you end up being one of the characters who die."
"That's… not comforting." Axel responded, looking a little disturbed. "I mean I know that shit, I watch enough horror movies, but… Not comforting."
"Kairi was never really known for her ability to comfort someone." Naminé giggled when she earned her cousin sticking her tongue out at her for that comment. "She's better at cooking, crafting, and coming up with movie trivia."
"Oh joy, now Axel has a buddy and they can both annoy us." Roxas sighed as they all followed Zexion. Once in the kitchen, he looked to Sora. "Do you know where in the pantry it was?"
"I should." Sora nodded.
"Roxas, you stay with Sora and Riku; we'll set a camera up in this part." Zexion said.
Sora went to the pantry and searched it, gauging what he saw and what shelf the maid put the ring. He then smiled when Riku picked it up, the object still on the chain. "Nicely done, Ri!"
"Happy to help." Riku smiled.
"One down, five to go." Roxas said, not counting the small plush Riku gave Sora. He then walked out with the others, joining up with the rest of the group. "Parlor next?"
"Parlor next." Zexion nodded.
"And this camera is up." Demyx said. "Xaldin? Guys? You catch that?"
"Zzzzzzt!" Static. Nothing but static.
"I hope it's okay..." Demyx sighed.
"I'm sure it is." Naminé assured, patting Demyx's arm a bit. "Let's keep going. The sooner we complete everything, the sooner this place is at rest." She then looked to the window. "Huh? It wasn't even noon when we entered… why's it so dark out now?" She then sat down and pulled out her sketchbook.
"This may take a moment." Axel pointed out. "Should a few of us go to the parlor?"
"No, we can't risk splitting up too far like that." Zexion said. "We wait it out." He looked to Sora. "What do you think?"
"Xehanort's probably making his move… trying to trap us." Sora admitted. "But we can't give up… And… at this point, I don't think we can get out yet."
"Then we don't give up." Zexion said. "We'll check the front door as we pass it again, though, just to be certain of things."
"There's something else..." Sora mumbled.
"What is it?"
"It's Marluxia… he came in with us, but… I thought he was following us… he isn't here."
Zexion pondered this. "Perhaps he went to find his friend… or he found himself lost in one of the different dimensional planes..."
Meanwhile, outside, Saïx worked with the screens that had wireless connections to the cameras. "Are the radios not working still?" he asked.
"There seems to be spiritual interference." Xaldin said. "How are the screens? Are they connecting?"
"I don't kn… oh! Yes!" Saïx looked excited as one camera came online. "Huh? It switched to night vision… why's it so dark?" He looked up. No clouds. Sun shining. "Honey..." He looked to his husband.
"Let's not get worked up; hopefully the other cameras will still connect." Xemnas said, though his trembling hand was sign that he was worried. "They'll figure things out… they're clever kids. Especially Zexion. And Sora's spiritually gifted."
"Yeah..." Saïx nodded. He smiled when another camera came online. "They got to the parlor, there's the piano!" he said as he pointed to it.
"Good. They're making progress." Xemnas nodded.
"These kids are smart and stubborn; they'll keep going and succeed. Just have faith, Saïx." Xigbar said. "Until then, I'll see if I can use different frequencies to catch the kids on the radio. It could be that the signal changed. Thus why we gave multiples to them."
"Thanks." Xemnas told his old friend.
"Okay, this is a creepy-ass picture." Axel said, staring at little white humanoid figures with a shadowy humanoid figure looming over them.
"I think it coincides with Sora saying that Xehanort's trying to trap us." Naminé pointed out. "That's why it's so dark even though it was daytime."
"Then be cautious. Sora? See any ghosts?" Zexion inquired, eyeing his maps to make sure they were going in the right directions.
"No… but I do hear them… feel them… they're crying out..." Sora sighed and turned his head, burying it against Riku's arm. "It's so sad… they're so scared… the Dark scares them… but so does the Light… they're confused…"
"We'll fix this soon, Sora… we'll fix it soon." Riku whispered to him.
Zexion nodded. "Let's go this way first, get the one in the nursery. Then we go the other way and get the other two in the room and study. Then finally, third floor library." he instructed, leading the way again.
"I'm still worried about Marluxia..." Sora mumbled as they walked. "Naminé, Kairi, I know you don't directly deal with ghosts like I do… but… have you felt anything?"
"Unfortunately, no." Kairi solemnly shook her head. "And touching here and there… nothing's come to me yet..."
"I'm sorry, Sora." Naminé sighed.
"It's okay..." Sora nodded.
"Marluxia will be fine; he's a stubborn ghost." Zexion assured, going into the nursery with his group.
"Yeah… but… what if he's scared? Or hurt?" Sora asked.
"Or right here." Marluxia was indeed with them and trying to wave his hands in front of Sora's face… but whatever Xehanort was doing, it made it impossible for the boy to see him. Or everyone else near. "This must be the dimensional planes Sora talks about… some of them don't even see each other or me..." He sighed. "Be tough, Sora. You've got this." He went and ruffled the brunette's hair, smiling when it actually shifted and startled Riku and Roxas.
"Maybe there are ghosts and you just can't see them because of that darkness that loomed over the place?" Roxas suggested. "Your hair just shifted on its own."
"Sora?" Riku asked.
"I… I felt him. Marluxia… he's fine." Sora smiled. "He's still okay."
"You bet your ass I am." Marluxia said. "I'm not leaving you anytime soon. You still need me."
"Hey, found the top." Demyx said, picking up from the middle of the train set.
"Then this is where we head to the study and the bedroom." Zexion nodded. He then jumped when lights suddenly turned on and the train started running; he wasn't the only one spooked, the whole group seemed to have moved in surprise. "Sora?"
"The dimensional plane has changed… it's like we're seeing the manor in its former glory." Sora pointed out. "See? There isn't dust or even cobwebs."
"Okay, hello heebies and jeebies again..." Axel said. "It's pretty… but creepy how things suddenly changed."
"We need to be on our guard..." Naminé said. "It's… there's this weird sensation in the air..." She wasn't the only one on edge. The other two psychics seemed nervous, too.
"Don't worry, we won't let it get anyone." Xion assured her girlfriend, gently kissing her cheek.
Heyo, lovelies!
Yet another chapter! Hopefully you all enjoyed this one. I'll be honest, I actually forgot all about Marluxia until I was partway through writing the chapter. Rather than delete the progress made, I just worked around it, gave it a reason why, and I think it worked out well.
Well, until next time, you lovely people!
~chibi