I'm updating, woohoo!
Okay, so I don't own National Treasure.
There's a brief, kind of gross scene, but it almost happened when I went to the caverns for real.
Also, I don't own Batman, nor the small mention of Hetalia, an awesome anime by a guy named Hidekaz Himaruya.
Well, technically, Prussia isn't a character—it's a Germanic country that "dissolved" some time during the World Wars.
I realize this geeky cameo may or may not lose me a few readers, but it's my story, and I'm doing whatever the heck I feel like with it.
Have a nice day. :)
The group drove for about an hour.
The ride there was pretty quiet, all except Riley's complaining…
Aiko stared out the backseat window where she was (begrudgingly) placed next to Riley.
She stared out said window and watched the world blur by, black sunglasses on her face, and listening to some random J-rock. (A/N: Japanese rock. :D)
After nearly 60 minutes of Riley's whining, they arrived at Tuckaleechee caverns.
"I'm sorry, sir, but there aren't any tours today," The woman at the counter said when Ben asked.
"This is an important investigation, ma'am. We're with the Knoxville Police," Aiko said seriously, flashing a (fake) badge.
The woman looked startled for a moment, before nodding.
"Alright, but please stay along the guidelines…" She said.
They had to explore the caves themselves, and Aiko and Riley cracked several Batman jokes.
Then, they got to optical illusion part of the caves…it was a large cavern room.
The illusion was, the cave looked about…maybe 15 feet across, at the most—but no.
The cave was actually around 200 feet across, and if you threw a rock, it'd look like you just kind of dropped it.
You also couldn't see the bottom of the cavern, and that in itself was pretty intimidating…
Not for Aiko and Tenshi.
They stood and stared, leaning practically over the guardrails of the place.
Aiko giggled and stared into the black abyss, thinking of how fun it'd be to throw her enemies into the inky darkness…
Then, Riley tapped her shoulder, and she nearly fell into the cavern herself.
She let out a squeal and was balanced, near-perfectly, on her stomach.
"R-Riley, if I die, I s-swear I'm going t-to KILL YOU!" Aiko squeaked out, barely risking a breath of air to cause the balance disruption.
She felt a sudden jerk at her feet, and realized she was being pulled backwards, and soon enough, tackling the aforementioned nerd (and Tenshi.)
"Alright then…so, let's get to exploring!" With that, the black-haired girl scrambled toward a large on/off switch attached to red, black and blue cables, and pulling it downward.
A high-pitched scream filled everyone's ears.
"Tenshi/Aiko/Abigail, it's okay!" Aiko, Abigail and Ben shouted simultaneously.
"…T-that was me…" Riley announced quietly, and a loud laughter (belonging to Aiko) filled the caverns.
"Okay then…everyone turn your flashlights on. We're probably looking for some hidden object, so keep your eyes sharp," Ben announced in that calm voice of his.
Aiko pulled out her small, dark-grey flashlight and turned it on, pointing it at the ceiling so no one would go blind…
Then she noticed the effect it had on dust.
"Oh mein Gott!" She yelled in German, "It looks like a light saber!"
Riley smirked and turned his flashlight on as well, and the two dorks began dueling.
Riley imitated Darth Vader by cupping his hand around his mouth and breathing heavily.
"Luke, I am your father!" He shouted.
Aiko paused, mid-swing, and smirked.
"That's a bit awkward, considering I'm not Luke, I'm a flying mint bunny~!" She sang, and her strange statement worked in its purpose of distracting the adorkable man—she got in a "fatal wound".
Riley feigned death.
"Yes, I am awesome! Fear my awesome powers! Bow down und cry~" Aiko said slyly, mimicking one of her all-time favorite anime character's unusual Germanic accent.
"Haha! Prussia, right?" Riley guessed, and Aiko nodded, giggling when Riley clapped a hand over his mouth.
Aiko had a reason to giggle, too, because Prussia was from Hetalia, a show practically made for rabid Yaoi fangirls…and normal fangirls.
Aiko personally disliked Yaoi—she never "saw the appeal of two guys making out" and thought it was "kind of creepy."
Hearing Riley practically admit that he watches Hetalia amused Aiko greatly.
"If you two are done having the battle of the century, would you mind helping the rest of us look for our humble clue?" Tenshi deadpanned, trying to hide her smiles.
"But I'm awesome!" Aiko whined.
"No you're not, dude, don't lie." Tenshi deadpanned once more, but this time she let her smirk go.
Aiko pouted, and Riley did too.
Apparently they were likeminded, as well as nerdy…
"I found something!" Aiko rushed out after a minute, and everyone looked around.
Where was she?
Finally Ben pointed out she was on the other side of the cavern.
"Dudes, it's seriously awesome over here! But…it's so far away…oh mein Gott, what's this?" Aiko shouted, holding up several slips of paper—and a small, leather case.
"Bring it over here!" Ben shouted, and it came to Aiko as a whisper, as she began the very risky trek over the dirt.
…
And suddenly, she fell.
"AIKO!"
I AM DONE. MUAHAHAH!
No, I'm not ending the chapter here, that'd be evil…nyu!
It is Tenshi's point of view from here til I say so, though. :3
From this point on, the chapter will be kind of gross…ish.
I could only watch as my sister fell into the depths of the unknown, and when I heard a sickening SPLAT, I was positive she was dead.
No…not my sister…not Aiko.
She had such a promising future…someone out there loved her, and…no!
Suddenly…
"HEY GUYS! THERE'S A TON OF BAT SCHEISSE DOWN HERE…YUCK! HELP!"
I facepalmed, and when my hand hit my face, it felt warm and wet…I was crying?
Apparently so…hah…
After a minute, Ben had managed to pull a bungee-chord from a bag he'd brought along—for emergencies, he'd claimed before.
I guess he foresaw the possibility of one of the group falling into a pit or something…
And they sent none other than Riley himself to fetch the poor girl I've known all my life.
"B-but why do I have to go?" The nerd demanded, his voice breaking slightly—Ehehe, it was actually pretty comical now that I know my sister's okay…smelly, maybe, but okay.
"Because, you're always whining about being bored. Now come here, you need to be strapped onto the chord."
I watched as Riley "jumped" (was pushed, cough) off of the guardrail by Abigail…and myself.
Aiko's POV
I had let myself fall.
Figuring that this was all going to be over when I hit that cold cave floor…I just shut my eyes, and maybe a few tears slipped through them, but I didn't care…
SPLAT.
…
OH.
MY.
DEAR.
LORD.
IN.
HEAVEN.
VERDAMMT!
IT'S BAT SCHEISSE! (A/N: She's cussing in German. Don't look it up, kay? :P)
I called out to the rest of the group, and sighed, waiting in the pitch-black for help.
After a minute, I heard commotion, and suddenly was bowled over.
"OH MEIN GOTT!" I shouted, in German, thankfully landing on cold, hard cave instead of bat poo.
"S-sorry!" The offending object squeaked, and I determined that it was…Riley.
"Just get off of me, dummkopf!" I shouted, irritated. (Dummkopf = idiot, fool, etc.)
He did so, and proceeded to turn a flashlight on.
I looked around, and there was a lot less guano than I thought there'd be…
I went and gathered the clue paper thingies up.
Riley waved me over to him, and I walked over, cautiously.
Before either one of us said anything, he wrapped his arm tightly around my waist—I squeaked, and suddenly I feel lightheaded…
"Y-you—?"
"Pull us up, guys!" Riley shouted, and then I figured it all out.
Of course, the bungee chord springing upward kind of helped my train of thought along.
Yet, somehow, the evil overlords of fate decided to mess with my emotions yet again, by having Riley be used as a cushion.
I immediately scrambled off of the red-faced nerd.
"Tomatoes!" I shouted, scrambling away from everyone…
Later
No one POV
Everyone was back at the tree house loft, and Aiko had immediately retreated to the shower.
Ben picked up one of the yellowed pieces of paper carefully, and began reading it.
These papers will lead you off your trail
Choose wisely, and hope you will prevail.
Riley picked one up as well.
Save your breath, you weird old being
Disappointment is all you'll be seeing.
Abigail joined the letter-party.
Seeing is believing, is it not?
This clue will lead you to where it's rather hot.
Tenshi picked the last note up.
This clue is the truth
Leading you to your treasure
Please spend it wisely.
They discussed the possibilities of the notes…Riley's was obviously the fake note.
"Well, that's depressing," Riley said flatly, resting his head on his hands.
"Yeah…well, maybe these clues are all fake," Abigail offered.
"No, that'd mean this is all fake…" Tenshi muttered.
"Maybe the last clues are supposed to be used together…rather hot would mean a volcano…but there's something about this note…" Ben waved Tenshi's note around slightly, "…That stumps me. The others are written in rhyming poetry, but this one…it just seems all jumbled on there…why?"
"You really don't know about haiku, do you, Mr. Gates?" A voice rang from the stairway.
Everyone looked over to the now-cleaned (and strawberry & almond milk-scented) Aiko, who stood, drying her hair.
She'd also put on a green tank-top with black Japanese symbols on it, and a pair of black cargo-shorts, and for some reason she had bandages around her ankles and forearms.
Riley's eyes widened a bit, and Aiko smirked when she noticed the faint pink tingeing his cheeks, which only made it worse on the poor geek's part.
The girl sauntered into the kitchen, getting herself some lemonade.
"Well, I'd be very happy to learn, Ms. Chance." Ben retorted calmly.
"See, Haiku is Japanese poetry. Three lines, usually not rhyming, are written down, and proper Haiku uses five on the first line, seven on the second, and five again on the third. Guessing by the clues, it's referring to a volcano, and the Haiku is most likely referring to Japan, which makes selection of fiery doom much easier. Y'see, there are a few volcanoes in Japan, but what's the biggest?" Aiko went on, leaning over the granite countertop, that mischievous smirk still streaking her face.
"Mount Fuji!" Abigail said.
"…Well, Riley, it looks like we're going to Japan after all." Ben stated with a slight smile.
Riley squealed with delight (SO MANRY!) but Aiko's drowned his out.
"AH, WE'RE GOING TO JAPAN! I'll get my cosplay!" She squealed and took off upstairs to begin packing.
Tenshi facepalmed, Abigail laughed, and Ben smiled.
Riley was being nerdy again…
Yay, chapter two is finally up!
*Sunglasses up* …To Japan…
Muhahaha!
Aiko will be having fangirl spasms!
There will be more anime mentions, in honor of Japan!
WE LOVE YOU KIKU! :D *shot*