So, I finally conquered writer's block with great triumph! Aren't I brilliant? Hahahahahaaaaaaaa!

Anyway, I've decided I'm going to go back and try to finely cut the rest of the chapters within the next week or two. I'm going to fix them up—you know, cut out some of the unnecessary drama, clean up the characters, that kinda boring stuff. Editing! Joy!

But you guys go ahead and enjoy this chapter. It's the start of something new…No, kidding! High School Musical is…eh…

Well anyway: Inspirational icons! Tom Hanks, for one, because I love the way he freaks out in The 'Burbs. What else…Hetalia. Easy learning history is always good! Let's see—Markiplier's cruelty for forcing his friend, Wade, to play horror games on a live stream. And Florence/Akefi/Akefia/Bakura/Tozokuo, whatever you wanna call him, because he's such a badass and he's freaking awesome when Marik's all like, "I'm Marik Ishtar, bro!"

Then Bakura's just like, "I don't care."

BAM! AWESOMENESS!

Okay, but anyway, really, enjoy the chapter! I'll have more comin' soon!

-Twinkies

V::V::VOV::V::V Chapter 15 : Horror of Impending Death V::V::VOV::V::V

Naoki woke with a splitting headache. Dazedly realizing he was flat on the ground, he staggered to his feet and looked around. The first volume of the Black Velveteen was still with him. There was a splintered floorboard lying by his feet. Dammit! Takeshi had escaped! But he was trapped inside the ghost's realm. What was the worst he could do there?

Don't fool yourself, Naoki's subconscious hissed. You know there could still be an escape. First, we find who attacked you so maliciously. It could not have been Takeshi…it may be his little friend he mentioned. Then, we search for the other two halves of the book. Quickly.

Naoki grimaced. "Indeed," he whispered. Sighing, he brushed his bangs out of his eyes and started down the corridor.

V::V::VOV::V::V

"So it basically just ditched you?"

"Yes." Hiroshi shivered, remembering the vivid image of the oni's wiry orange eyes watching him through the wardrobe slit. "I know it saw me. I know it did. But it didn't attack. I don't know why."

"Maybe you just think it saw you," Nikoru suggested.

Hiroshi shook his head. "I know what I saw, Nikoru. I know it saw me. It was…watching me…" He sighed and walked over to a desolate chair flipped on its side. He righted it and sat, relieved that he could finally rest his weak legs. "I can't help but wonder if this means I'm a sort of…an asset to this house."

"Asset?" Takuro echoed.

Hiroshi shrugged. "So to speak."

"What'd you mean, asset?" Takuro wondered.

Hiroshi was silent for a moment. Then, he shrugged again, as if there were no answer, as if his suspicion had no meaning. But after a moment, he answered adequately: "I have this strange feeling…I feel…Tied."

"Tied?" Takuro echoed again.

Hiroshi glared at him through his lashes. "Yes, Takuro. Must you repeat everything I say?"

Takuro rose his palms. "Don't get defensive, Hiroshi. It was just a question, dude."

Hiroshi sighed. "You're right. It was…" Apologies had always been the toughest thing for Hiroshi to express. Maybe it was because Hiroshi felt they were unnecessary, or possibly it was simply how embarrassing it felt to admit he was wrong. But Takuro knew him well; there would be no hard feelings. "Well, anyway, I have a hunch."

"That's not good." Nikoru grimaced.

"I mean an idea, Nikoru," Hiroshi murmured.

Nikoru's brows furrowed, her lips pressed tightly together. "…That's what I meant. I knew that. I knew that."

Takuro slapped her on the back. "We're sure you did, Nikoru."

"But I did!"

"Do you want to hear my concept or not?" Hiroshi shouted over them both. They turned to him, eyes wide. Hiroshi's gut twisted. He had been on edge lately, and he felt as if he could be pushed over at any moment. Takuro and Nikoru both had to be feeling the same way, so why weren't they taking the situation seriously? "Look, I know you two find it easier to keep your moods light, finding humor in everything, but I must stress that this is a dangerous situation." He paused, searching his friend's eyes for some sort of realization. "You two do know this, don't you?"

Nikoru's head hung. "I know, I know…But what would we do without some kinda optimism?"

Takuro nodded his agreement. "This is terrifying, Hiroshi. We know that." He flashed Hiroshi a crooked smile. "But if we aren't livening things up, who's gonna keep you from hiding in your turtle shell?"

Hiroshi blushed, surprised with Takuro's analogy, but he swiftly dismissed it and scoffed, determined to keep a straight face and cross authority. "Takuro, do you know the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?"

Takuro frowned. "Damn, this again. HiroshiPEN, you've asked that, like, fifty times in the last week, man. It's a lame question—"

"Turtles swim and tortoises live on land," Hiroshi answered sharply.

"Dude…" Takuro groaned and shook his head. "I just wanna lighten up the mood, man. We need to keep ourselves from getting freaked out."

"Guys, come on," Nikoru said. "I'm terrified. Seriously." She motioned towards the closet. "I mean, when I was in that closet, it occurred to me that we might not have hope. It hit me that we could have been eaten, or whatever the hell it is that those guys do." She stepped forward, gazing at Hiroshi imploringly. "Don't you think about the flip side, though?" Hiroshi sat silently, puzzled. She wasn't making much sense. Nikoru bit her cheek. "If we take the situation too seriously, we're going to lose our heads—literally. Hiroshi, Takuro and I are always the ones trying to lighten up your mood, because you worry too much and you have a tendency to over-complicate some situations. You're incredibly intelligent, Hiroshi. I really admire you for that. You always have a plan and you know just what to do."

Hiroshi braced himself, preparing for a falling out.

Nikrou noticed his stiff shoulders, his darkening eyes, his clenched jaw. "I don't want to fight the whole time, HiroshiPEN. But I need a favor." She hardened her gaze and spoke firmly: "You need to stop being such a pessimist and lighten up your damn self." The only indication Nikoru had that hit home was the defiant glint in Hiroshi's cool gray eyes. She didn't want to back down, but she allowed her tone to soften if only a fraction. "I'm scared, okay? And I know that if I'm scared, you've gotta be scared as hell, too."

Nikoru expected some kind of reaction, a cringe or a blink. But Hiroshi was deathly still on his seat. He betrayed no show of emotion. It struck a nerve somewhere inside Nikoru's heart. "Please don't be mad at me, HiroshiPEN. I just want us all to get along for a little longer, okay? I don't want anyone—"

"I understand, Nikoru," Hiroshi ground out, insulted. "Refrain from apologizing. It's unnecessary."

"Hiroshi, man, that's not fair," Takuro said. "Don't be a jerk."

Hiroshi glared at him. "What? I'm not being a jerk. I'm simply agreeing with Nikoru—I am being a little too pessimistic." But his cool, angry tone betrayed him.

Nikoru ground her teeth. "Dude, I was just saying—"

"You have more to say?" Hiroshi retorted. "I would have thought you'd said enough."

Nikoru growled, her almond eyes narrowing. "Oh, so you wanna play that game, do you? Holy shit, Hiroshi, can't you admit you're wrong—for once?" Hiroshi slid his glasses back up his nose with maddening calmness. "This is what it's all about, isn't it? You can't just say, yeah, I admit, I'm being a bitch, but I'm sorry. Why? Is it gonna burn your tongue off, Hiroshi?"

"That's enough!" Takuro exclaimed. Nikoru was as red as a firetruck and Hiroshi was sitting as if he were glued to the chair. Takuro groaned in exasperation. "You guys are kinda wigged out, you know? Probably because of what this atmosphere can do to you, but you guys have really gotta chill before we have a falling out."

Neither budged. They didn't say a word. Instead, they regarded each other with sour expressions and bitter glares. You're a spoiled brat behind the scenes, Hiroshi's sneer growled. Bit me, Nikoru's challenged.

"Can you two not fight?" Takuro insisted.

Normally, Nikoru would continue fighting until she was satisfied. But her gut argued with her mind: Don't fight here or Takuro will kick your ass, Hiroshi won't talk to you for forever, and you guys will never shut up. Turn around, Nikoru, just turn around and leave. It's hard, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Nikoru obliged, but she needed a minute to calm down. She felt she needed some alone time before she shattered a vase over that damned Hiroshi's head. There was the aching need to continue the fight, but she ground her teeth together and quickly exited the room, aware that she was probably overreacting.

Hiroshi cringed as the door slammed shut. He stood but Takuro interceded him. "Hang on, Hiroshi," he said. "Let her calm down for a minute."

"But the oni—" Hiroshi began, trembling.

"I'll kick its ass, all right?" Takuro pushed Hiroshi back onto the chair. "Just chill, would you?"

Hiroshi held his breath, biting back a harsh retort, and reluctantly sat. "How childish," he all but whispered. "She left the room…"

Takuro nodded. "Yup. You can really piss people off. You're pretty good at that." He smiled at the closed door. "You guys fight on and off all the time. It's like me and Mika fighting. I wouldn't worry 'bout her. She'll come back in in a bit."

Hiroshi twitched. "I'm worried about her safety, Takuro! You know one of those—those things could appear at any time! And Nikoru doesn't even think before she acts! It surprises me, sometimes, that she's lived this long! An oni could—"

"Dude," Takuro chuckled, "I know you love her—" Hiroshi gasped. "—but, come on, dude, you've gotta stop worrying about her. She's a big kid, Hiroshi. She's a force to be reckoned with, don't you think? I believe in her."

Hiroshi wanted to run out of the room and beg Nikoru for forgiveness, but his pride would never allow it. "When…When do you think she'll return…Takuro?" He ached to see her again. His heart constricted with guilt.

Takuro shrugged. "Mika usually comes back after a couple minutes. She'll be back in a bit, I promise." He studied Hiroshi's ashen face with amusement and curiosity. "So, HiroshiPEN, how long have you liked her? Since, like, freshman year?" Hiroshi squirmed. "Why haven't you told her yet, man? You should tell her now—then she won't be pissed at you for much longer." He wagged his brows suggestively.

Hiroshi grimaced. "I—I just…" He sighed and sunk his face into his hands. "I practically woke up one day and realized how important she was. We had an argument over something ridiculous—I can't remember what—and she kicked me. I thought for sure that would be the end of our friendship…and I suppose it struck a nerve. I almost decided to skip school the next day, afraid she wouldn't want to see me. But…" He smiled fondly at the memory. "She smiled and greeted me as if we hadn't quarreled. It wasn't too long after Satō became a friend of her's that I…"

Takuro's grin reached his ears. "Duuuude! You're jealous of that guy! Holy cow shit, you're actually jealous!"

Hiroshi flushed, suddenly realizing what he had divulged, with Takuro as a witness. He'd said the stupidest, mushiest stuff. All where Takuro could hear. "I—I—I am not! How could I be? He's using her! He just wants her ass!" Shocked with himself, he slapped a hand over his mouth, hoping Takuro hadn't heard that last part.

But Takuro heard everything; he cracked up and laughed at the ceiling until his lungs hurt. "Whoa, man! Nice word usage!"

"E—enough!" Hiroshi exclaimed, frustrated, and aware that he was dramatically red in the face. "Takuro, I thought Satō was honorable, that he sincerely liked Nikoru. Even then I'd rather die than witness his slimy hands crawling all over her, but he's simply using her. I told her, and she dismissed me in the beginning. But he advanced on her after he hit me—"

Takuro's face darkened. "Whoa, whoa, HiroshiPEN, he hit you?"

"He did," Hiroshi huffed. "But it doesn't matter now."

Takuro shifted stiffly. "That's bull, man…I didn't…I don't even…" He shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, man. I knew you totally digged Nikoru, so I didn't say anything about her and Satō because…well, I kinda wanted to see what you'd do." Noticing Hiroshi's pissy expression, he quickly continued: "But I get it now! Don't get pissy—hang on! I thought your face looked weird…" Hiroshi looked ready to spit nails. Takuro couldn't help himself; he laughed. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it as an insult. Your cheek just looks kinda purple."

"Do you believe me, Takuro?" Hiroshi asked sheepishly.

Takuro studied him a while longer, processing everything his friend had said. "Yeah, dude. I believe you. You never lie about stuff, and I know you wouldn't just pin something like assault on a dude if he didn't do it."

Hiroshi crumpled into himself, wishing Nikoru would walk back in soon and forgive him with her generous smile. "That idiot better come back soon…"

Takuro nibbled on the inside of his cheek, wondering why he had never suspected Satō before. He had some major rethinking to do. What if Satō chased Mika? Ohhh, he'd kick his ass!

"Takuro—" Hiroshi revived his attention. "—I forgot to mention I found Mika."

Takuro whooped. "Why the hell didn't you say so before?! You know where—where!"

Just as Hiroshi parted his lips to reply, a startling scream ripped through the air.

V::V::VOV::V::V

Takeshi jumped. "Wh—what was that?"

Eve glanced around the rotting basement corridor. "My guess is that an oni finally found one of your friends." When Takeshi gasped, Eve instantly became focused. "Come," she said, running for the basement door. "We need to hurry!"

Takeshi charged after her, thinking of Mika. "Sh—should we—I mean, can't we just go up through the roof?"

"I wish that were an option, my friend! However, spirits are not so much permitted to while the floors and walls of the manor are disturbed."

Takeshi panted, trying his best to keep up with the agile spirit. "What do you mean 'disturbed,' Eve? What does that—"

"When an oni attacks, the walls of the manor are momentarily disturbed," Eve explained. "They harden, keeping any intruder out for the time being until it has finished…whatever it is it has started!"

Takeshi suddenly felt nauseous. "So the oni is, uh—how do you even know if it's attacked?"

"Can't you sense the walls?"

Takeshi looked around, confused. "They're wood. So?"

"They're shadowy," Eve said. "That's the best I can explain it! We must hurry! We might have a chance at rescuing your friend if we can get to them in time!"

"But they're fast, aren't they?" Takeshi stumbled around a corner. "Can we make it?"

"We can try!" Eve reached the stairs and climbed them as quickly as she could. "Come on, Takeshi, faster!"

Takeshi felt his legs quivering beneath him. "I'm trying! I'm trying!"

V::V::VOV::V::V